Wishes Come True
by Starwarshobbitfics
Summary: After about a year of living and adapting to a typical civilian lifestyle on Earth, Lux and Ahsoka Bonteri are presented with a tremendous gift : Ahsoka soon learns that she is pregnant. This is their story as they take on the challenges of parenthood as well as chronicling their interactions with their future children, Mina and Daniel. Rated T for slight adult topics and language.
1. Success on First Attempt

**Tuesday, February 18, 1985**

The first thing Lux heard once he awoke was the hasty footsteps of his wife, Ahsoka, sprinting for the bathroom. It was followed by the loud slamming of the door. " _Again ? It's been over a week that she's struggling to keep her food. That constant vomiting can't be good. I better get up and see if I can help._ "

He quickly walked over to the bathroom door and knocked. "'Soka ? You all right in there ?"

"Better now, Lux. I'll be out... in a few minutes." Several minutes passed, he quickly noticed the same tired look on her as she came out. "What is going on ? You've been having this sickness for over a week."

She turned to him, forcing herself to smile. "I wish I knew, Lux. Probably something I ate that doesn't agree with me. The question is what."

He looked at the clock. 5:50 am. "Well, you have time to get yourself ready for work. You sure you want to go in your current state ?"

"It's just a passing bit of nausea, Lux. Nothing more. I have no reason to miss a day of work. I'll be fine." She changed into her work clothes and quickly grabbed herself a piece of meat from the fridge to sustain her. Quickly donning her winter coat, she stepped out the door.

Lux scratched his chin, deep in thought. " _That constant nausea can't be a coincidence. Could she be... ? No point in jumping to conclusions yet. As time goes, it should be more apparent if it's what I'm suspecting._ " He shook his head. " _Likely not. Perhaps I'm being silly as usual..._ " He prepared himself a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of coffee, waiting for his time to head out to work as well.

Ahsoka was in the middle of working on a motor when nausea suddenly hit her again. "Will, can you see what you can do with this motor ? I'm not feeling very well all of a sudden, please excuse me." She quickly ran to the small employee bathroom. Will just checked how far she was in her repairs and began from where she left off. Burt came to him. "Where's Ahsoka ? Shouldn't she be doing these ?" "She ain't feelin' too good, boss ! Don't know why..."

"Oh for God's sake ! It's been 3 times this morning alone ! I'm gonna have to do this, Will. I don't like it, but this needs to be dealt with." They waited until she came out. Burt whistled to her and motioned her to come to him. "Yes ?"

"You don't seem to be in your best shape, miss. Care to explain ?" She knew she was in trouble. "I'm sorry, Burt. I wish I knew why I'm getting this sudden sickness, I really do." He looked down at her, crossing his arms in front of him. "Well then, you're going to find out. I'm giving you the afternoon off. Go to the Manhattan General Hospital. Get yourself checked. That's an order."

"Yes, sir ! Heading out now !" She walked as fast as she could out of the garage, heading towards the distant hospital.

Burt went back to his office, taking a sip of coffee and going over several documents. " _She's going through the same symptoms that my wife Linda is currently going through. Wouldn't be at all surprised that she's also pregnant. So I'll need an additional replacement sooner or later._ "

Ahsoka soon entered the large hospital. There were plenty of people, sitting and waiting. She took a quick glance at the people around her. Some had broken limbs, others had merely a bad cough or flu. She took a chair and waited her turn. " _Good thing I learned patience long ago. I would be going crazy waiting like this. Now that I think about it, I was such an immature brat when I first began my apprenticeship with Anakin. Thank the Force I grew up with time._ "

After about an hour of waiting in line, her turn finally came up. A female doctor motioned her to follow her in a private room. She was asked to sit on a chair.

"Good afternoon, Miss. I am Dr. Rebecca Roscoe. How may I be of assistance ?" She offered her hand to Ahsoka, which she quickly shook.

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Roscoe. The name's Ahsoka Bonteri. Basically, I've been having odd issues with myself..."

Rebecca held a notepad, ready to write details. "What kind of issues, Miss ?"

"Nausea getting me mostly in the morning... but sometimes later on in the day."

Rebecca nodded. "Could be indigestion. When was the last time you ate ?"

"Earlier this morning, actually." She soon felt her stomach grumbling.

"Anything else ?"

"I've been especially moody, I tend to eat more than I used to, I feel tired all the time... I think that's it as far as issues." She stroked her lekku nervously.

"Those symptoms... I'm very familiar with them. Are you married by any chance ?" Rebecca scribbled some more details.

"Well, yes. I've been for almost a year now."

"I would assume that you and your husband..." Rebecca began before being cut off.

"Of course, we do ! I mean... don't all married couples partake in sex at some time or other ? But I fail to see what this has to do with my sickness."

Rebecca scribbled some more notes. "That could be it, Miss. Tell me, when was the last time you two engaged in sexual intercourse ?"

Ahsoka thought for a second. "Hmm... in the early hours of January 1st, I think. Yeah, that was it. No protection was used during that time. So you think that..."

Rebecca nodded. "It all adds up. After 6 weeks following fertilization, that's usually when most women begin to feel sick, especially in the morning. We could have you pass an echography. It's painless and we can see the developing fetus quickly. Would you be willing, Miss ?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "I'll pass on the offer, if you don't mind. But now that you're telling me this, that's probably it. Thank you, doctor. This visit has been... illuminating for me."

As she walked out the hospital, her mind was racing. " _Well... I did ask Lux to wait at the New Year before attempting to conceive... So, judging by that doctor's info, I might as well accept the fact that I am pregnant. How am I going to tell Lux ? How will he react to the news ? *Looks at her watch* 2:45 pm. Might as well drop by the garage and give Burt the news._ "

She arrived at the garage and knocked on Burt's door. "Come right in !"

He broke away from his concentration and saw her in the entrance. "Oh, it's you. Well... what's the verdict ?" He motioned to her to sit.

"Going by what the doctor told me concerning my symptoms, I'm most likely pregnant. I'm sorry, I never meant to cause problems for you two."

Burt raised an eyebrow. "Problems ? No, it's no problem at all. You just need to learn to deal with the sickness. After you've woken up and thrown up for the first time in the day, do you know how to prevent it from occurring further ?"

She shook her head. "All right, listen up. You only need to make a quick stop to the drug store and ask for Folic Acid, better known as Vitamin B9. That, along with some slightly salted crackers will help curb your weak stomach. My wife, Linda, is currently pregnant and she is going through the same issues. After a while, it lessens. Take it easy, ok ?"

"I never thought there was such a simple solution to that. Thanks a lot, Burt. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Hopefully, I'll be able to perform a lot better." She quietly exited the office and made a stop at the local drug store, picking up some Folic Acid on the way and even stopping at the supermarket for some crackers.

As she arrived at her apartment, she felt slightly exhausted and took a nap on the couch. She slept until Lux arrived, carrying a few bags.

"Since when do you take a late afternoon nap, 'Soka ? Are you all right ?" He looked at her, slightly worried.

"Actually, Lux, I'm much better now that I understand what's going on with me." She pats the area next to her on the couch. "Come here. Have I got a surprise for you."

He sits next to her. "What is it ?"

She takes a deep breath. "Lux, I'm pregnant."

He blinks a few times and does a double-take. "W-what did you say ?"

"I'm pregnant." She repeats.

"P-pregnant ?! ... Th-that's won-wonderful !" He gave a gentle hug.

She raises an eye marking. "You look surprised. I mean, come on. Don't you remember our night on January 1st ? We made the decision to not use protection for that time... consciously. Neither of us were even drunk. We had hardly a glass of champagne each... You shouldn't be surprised that it actually happened."

"I simply wasn't expecting our very first _real_ attempt to succeed. I've heard that it usually takes several tries before conception occurs. Well then, this means we'll need to start gathering some baby items. We'll need to shop for a crib, we'll need a high chair to feed him/her for the first couple of years. Obviously we'll need diapers... I don't know about you, 'Soka, but I'm not exactly looking forward to _that_."

She turned to him, looking slightly amused at his apparent aversion to diaper changes. "Your mother likely changed yours more than enough when you were an infant, Lux. I don't even know the steps of how to do the changes. Relax, we've got roughly 7 months and a half to prepare ourselves. We'll just go with the flow. We'll learn by doing, as we have always done. I don't know about you, but I think a bit of music will make me feel even better. Do you mind ?"

"Go right ahead, but try not to choose anything too hectic."

She browsed their CD library. "I'm in the mood for Dio right now. The song "Don't Talk to Strangers" always perks me up, despite how nonsensical the lyrics are.

And since I'm pregnant, I know that I can't partake in any alcohol whatsoever... and I should cut back on Coke as well. Can you bring me a glass of water, please ?"

Lux brought her some water as the song started. For once, he eagerly listened with her.

Don't talk to strangers  
Cause they're only there to do you harm  
Don't write in starlight  
'Cause the words may come out real  
Don't hide in doorways  
You may find the key that opens up your soul  
Don't go to Heaven cause it's really only Hell  
Don't smell the flowers  
They're an evil drug to make you lose your mind  
Don't dream of women  
'Cause they'll only bring you down

Hey you, you know me, you've touched me, I'm real  
I'm forever the one that lets you look and see and  
Feel me I'm danger, I'm the stranger  
And I, I'm darkness, I'm anger, I'm pain  
I am master, the evil song you sing inside your brain  
Drive you insane

Don't talk, don't let 'em inside your mind  
Run away, run away, gο

No, no, no don't let them in your mind  
Protect your soul

"I'll probably surprise you by saying this, but this particular song ain't so bad. Even the guitar solo doesn't make me want to tear my ears out."

"It ain't all that bad, Lux. After a while, you kind of crave the loudness."

"Well now, don't push it, dear. I don't mind it every now and then, but constantly have my ears assaulted to such "aggressive" music... No, I don't see myself enjoying this on the same level as you do anytime soon. Anyways, I brought something "special" for dinner."

Her montrals instantly perked up. "Oh ? You've got my attention."

He removed the items out of the bags. She was hoping for something as exquisite as the fondue they had on Christmas Eve. She was shocked to see hot dog buns and a bunch of hot dogs, ready to be cooked.

"Hot Dogs ? You call that special ? Lux, you're unbelievable." She couldn't help but laugh at his silliness.

"Hey, it was our first meal on this new planet. I know you like yours with ketchup and mustard. How many will you take ?"

"I'm good for at least 3. But why did you buy so many ? Don't tell me we'll be eating hot dogs for a week."

He shook his head. "Not hot dogs per se, 'Soka. We can use the extra hot dog buns to make ourselves some lobster rolls. You could incorporate the extra hot dogs with pasta recipes, like in spaghetti or lasagna."

She couldn't help but smirk at him. "Now _those_ are delicious ideas, Lux. Should I assume that you've bought some lobster meat for the occasion ?"

"As a matter of fact, I have. We'll be having lobster rolls tomorrow night. And maybe you could whip up a lasagna over the weekend."

"Sounds like a plan !" She reached under the oven where the various frying pans were stored and picked one randomly."Ok, get the butter for me, please ? We're gonna smear the buns in butter before we place them onto the pan. It'll be even better that way."

He reached in the fridge and took out a slab of salted butter and took out the ketchup, mustard and relish containers while he was there.

After a couple of minutes of cooking, their hot dogs were ready. If anything, Ahsoka loved warm meat. She quickly took a bite, savoring the meat and the accompanied condiments. Lux remembered his first Hot Dog experience and did not buy any Jalapeno peppers. For him, the extra relish was more than enough.

After she was done eating, she gently patted her stomach. "Fear not, my unborn child, you'll have your fill of good food by the time you're born. You'll soon appreciate delicate cuisine like me and your father."

"This will change our lives for the better, 'Soka. The challenge of parenthood, I won't back down from it. I promise." Lux said while placing a hand on his wife's stomach.

 **And we're off ! So, after the many events which occurred in A Fresh Start of Things, it was only a matter of time until the inevitable happened. What's even better for Ahsoka is that both her husband and her boss are ready to support her through this challenging time in her life. Over the next chapter, we'll cover the rest of her pregnancy.** **Like always, feel free to review.**


	2. Mina Padmé Bonteri is born

**Saturday, April 20th**

Ahsoka stirred from her sleep. She took a glance at the clock on the dresser. 8:05 am. She slowly rose out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. Afterwards, she went out to the balcony to see the rising sun and Spring at its best. The snow was pretty much melted, and it was warm enough that she didn't need a jacket to be standing outside. She had grown used to the many sounds of the city. The blaring sirens were no longer as annoying to her. " _So it's been over a year since we crash-landed on this planet. We managed to get a place to live, a job, a friend I can trust. And to top it all off, I'm now 4 months and a half pregnant. Is it a boy ? Or a girl ? I won't take any scans whatsoever. I want to be surprised._ "

Lux woke up soon after and made his way to the bathroom, looking very much half-asleep. He went outside to the balcony to join her. "Morning, 'Soka. You didn't throw up this morning ?"

She turned to him, smiling. "I'm actually surprised, Lux. No sign of nausea whatsoever this morning. I guess the worst of pregnancy is likely passed." She turned her gaze back to the city. "You know, after living here for over a year now, I've come to appreciate this city. Sure, it gets noisy now and then. I have to say that it's... beautiful."

Lux stared at the clear blue skies. "I have to agree with you. It certainly beats being constantly on the run from the Galactic Empire. Now I don't want to jinx anything, but I believe that they'll never come here. From what I've seen so far, this is a backwater planet with dated technology, which would be of little interest to them anyways."

"Let's hope you're right, Lux. I could never bring myself to battle against my old Master. I really hope that he'll redeem himself eventually." A tear slid down her cheek, the thought of Anakin having turned to the Dark Side still troubled her.

They made their way back inside. "I'm going to take my shower now if you don't mind, Lux."

He nodded. "Go right ahead, I can wait."

Lux heard her clear her throat loudly. "Is something the matter, 'Soka ?"

She motioned him to come to her. "I'd have to say so, Lux. From what I'm seeing, you've peed in the hamper and tossed your dirty clothes in the toilet. Half-asleep much ?" She couldn't contain herself further and burst out in a fit of laughter.

Lux takes a quick look. "What the Force ?! How did I manage that ?" His cheeks were red with embarrassment. He quickly thought of a way to save face. "Well, we are due for a trip downstairs. To be safe, this particular load will run twice in the washing machine. Ahem... sorry about that." He scratched the back of his neck.

"No big deal, Lux. It's just... amusing. May I suggest that you have a cup... or even two of coffee this morning before heading downstairs ?"

"Probably a good idea." He quickly reached in the cupboard for the ground coffee beans and started the brewer.

The phone rang, making both jump in surprise. "I'll get it !" Ahsoka reached for the phone in haste.

"Hello ?"

"Good morning, darling. It's been a while."

"Kayla ! Yes, yes it has. I'm sorry that I haven't got in touch with you since the New Year. I've just been so busy lately."

"No problem, dear. Have you got any plans for today ? We could catch up with each other if you'd like."

"None so far, Kayla. Do you want me to see you at your place ?"

"Sure, if you want to. Just wait till you see Hershey. He's grown quite handsome !"

"Has he ? Well, I've got some surprises of my own which you'll see when I get there. Give me an hour and a half and I'll be there."

"Sounds good. I'll be waiting. Ciao !"

"Bye, Kayla. See you in a bit."

"It seems you have your day planned, 'Soka. So I'll be doing the laundry and most likely listen to music in the afternoon."

"You do that. I'll see you later tonight." She quickly showered and dried herself. After a quick of pick of clothes, she was out the door.

After about an hour of walking, she knocked on her friend's door.

"Come in."

Kayla couldn't believe her eyes. Ahsoka had grown a bit since she last saw her. Her headtails reached down to her stomach now. She also noticed the slight swell on her stomach.

"It's been so long, Ahsoka. How have you been ?" They hugged each other gently.

"Good, but busy, Kayla. It's been a rough 4 months and a half so far."

Kayla looked at her in curiosity. "What do you mean ?"

She pointed at her stomach. "What ? Isn't it obvious ? I'm pregnant."

"Oh my God ! Ahsoka, that's great ! Congratulations to you both ! How long has it been ?"

"4 months and a half. Apparently the deed was done in the early hours of New Year's Day."

"Oh I see. How was it ?"

Ahsoka looks at her friend, slightly disturbed. "What ?"

Kayla clears her throat. "I mean... it must have been quite an experience. First time ?"

Ahsoka smirked in response and shook her head. "Um, no. Definitely not our first time. Let's say we've been... "practicing"... for some time."

Kayla chuckled in response. "I see. Well then, come over to the living room and have a look at my "Man". He looks really good."

They made their way to Hershey's vivarium. He was out in the open, drinking water.

"You weren't kidding when you said he was handsome, Kayla. Such stunning colors. But he was slightly smaller last I saw him."

"Yes, he went through a couple of sheds in the last months." As they sat on the couch, Kayla changed the topic. "Anything new concerning music ?"

"Not since we met at Paul's Music Shop. Haven't went there since. I've been pretty content with my current selection."

"So who's your favorite singer ?" Kayla asks.

Ahsoka doesn't even hesitate with her answer. "Ronnie James Dio. No contest there. His voice sends chills down my spine every time I hear something from him."

"Really ? How much of Dio have you heard, Ahsoka ?"

She thinks for a moment. "Other than the Holy Diver album and the couple of Black Sabbath songs he performed last year... none, I guess."

Kayla looks at her, shocked. "Hold on, you mean to tell me that you haven't heard the rest of the Heaven and Hell album ?"

"Um, no. I never caught any of the other songs on the radio."

"Oh, never mind the radio, Ahsoka ! Hang on, let me prepare my stereo for a moment." Kayla reached for her collection and took out a couple of albums and passed them to Ahsoka. The one entitled "Heaven and Hell" showed a cover of three female angels, smoking and playing cards while the other entitled "Rainbow : Rising" had a cover of a hand squeezing a rainbow with a raging sea and a medieval castle in the background.

Kayla pulls the Heaven and Hell album from Ahsoka's grip. "Sorry, darling. I need the CD. Sit tight... and be ready to feel chills once again." She chose the song entitled "Neon Knights".

Oh no, here it comes again  
Can't remember when we came so close to love before  
Hold on, good things never last  
Nothing's in the past, it always seems to come again  
Again and again and again

Cry out to legions of the brave  
Time again to save us from the jackals of the street  
Ride out, protectors of the realm  
Captain's at the helm, sail across the sea of lights

Circles and rings, dragons and kings  
Weaving a charm and a spell  
Blessed by the night, holy and bright  
Called by the toll of the bell

Bloodied angels fast descending  
Moving on a never-bending light  
Phantom figures free forever  
Out of shadows, shining ever-bright

Neon Knights!  
Neon Knights!  
All right!

Cry out to legions of the brave  
Time again to save us from the jackals of the street  
Ride out, protectors of the realm  
Captain's at the helm, sail across the sea of lights  
Again and again, again and again and again

Neon Knights!  
Neon Knights!  
All right! 

Ahsoka huddled herself, reeling from all the chills she felt during the song. "Oh. My. Force. I hardly heard anything by them as I can see. This was fantastic ! Dio's voice and Iommi's guitar playing really go hand in hand. Wow."

"You liked that, huh ? Give me the Rainbow album, please."

Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "Rainbow ? Can't say I've heard of that band."

"It was formed by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, after he left Deep Purple. Ronnie James Dio came from another band called Elf. On this particular album, aside Ronnie and Ritchie's obvious roles, we have Jimmy Bain on bass, Cozy Powell on drums and Tony Carey on keyboards. They were overshadowed by Led Zeppelin during the late '70s, so that's why you don't hear of Rainbow."

Ahsoka turned to her. "Well...you can't blame Led Zeppelin for being successful. I mean, 'Stairway to Heaven" is one of their most popular songs for a reason."

"Ok, Ahsoka. Sit tight again. This is the song called "Tarot Woman". Carey's keyboard solo at the beginning is nothing short of marvelous. I'm sure you'll agree."

I don't want to go  
Something tells me no, no, no, no  
But traces in the sand  
The lines that set my hand  
Say go, go, go

Beware of a place  
A smile of a bright shining face

I'll never return, how do you know?  
Tarot woman  
I don't know  
I don't know

She can take you there  
The entrance to the fair  
Mine, mine, mine

Ride the carousel  
And cast a magic spell  
You can fly, fly

Beware of a place  
A smile of a bright shining face

I'll never return, how do you know?  
Tarot woman, well I don't know  
I don't know  
I don't know  
I don't know

Something in the air  
Tells me to beware, no, no, no  
Her love is like a knife  
She'll carve away your life  
So go, go, go

Beware of a place  
A smile of a bright shining face

I'll never return, how do you know?  
Tarot woman, I don't know  
I don't know  
I don't know  
Hey, I don't know

Ahsoka was dazed slightly after the song. "Ok. OK. I can't call myself a Dio fan if I don't have these albums. By the Force, I've been missing out."

"Say we make a tour at Paul's Music Shop ?" Kayla suggested.

Ahsoka nodded. "Let's get going. I have a feeling that we'll be pleasantly surprised when we get there."

After another hour of walking, they reached Times Square. Before heading out to the music store, they stopped at a hot dog vendor for a quick bite.

As they entered the store, they've noticed that there were a lot of empty chairs lying around. " _What the ? Why so many chairs lying around ? Are they cleaning up in the back room ?_ " Ahsoka refocused on getting the albums she heard a snippet of. She was approached by a tall man. "Good afternoon, miss. I'm Paul Moore, owner of Paul's Music Shop. I see that you enjoy Black Sabbath and Rainbow... while you're here, why not consider one of the albums from Iron Maiden ?" He motioned to a table with plenty of copies of "Number of the Beast", "Piece of Mind" and "Powerslave". She took a gander and hesitated.

Just then, a couple of men entered and made their way to the back room. "Please, excuse us." Kayla looked on with wide eyes. "OH MY GOD ! Ahsoka... have you seen them ?"

"Seen who ?" She asks out of ignorance.

Kayla is in a state of excitement. "You haven't recognized them ?!"

Ahsoka turned to her, looking slightly annoyed. "I wasn't looking ! Why don't you just tell me who they were ?"

Kayla grabs her head with her hands. "Oh, Ahsoka. Come on ! They were Steve Harris and Dave Murray of Iron Maiden !"

She nearly drops the CDs in shock. "Woah, woah, woah ! Back up ! Back up ! What are they doing HERE, of all places ?"

"I've invited them for a quick show. You two are the last customers to be able to see them perform live right before your very eyes. Afterwards, they'll be sticking around for autographs." Paul explained. "All, right. Lemmy, lock the doors ! We're filled up with 25 customers."

"This is our lucky day, Ahsoka. Come on, you don't have Piece of Mind and Powerslave, do you ? You ought to buy both, they're so awesome !" Kayla grabbed copies for herself and her friend and quickly raced to the cash register.

After a while, singer Bruce Dickinson came out from the back room, causing the customers to cheer for him. Guitarists Adrian Smith and Dave Murray followed. Bassist Steve Harris came out, accompanied by drummer Nicko McBrain. All 25 customers were sitting and waiting for the show to start. Both Kayla and Ahsoka never felt so privileged in their lives.

After all the instruments were set up, Bruce took the microphone. "Welcome, one and all. First up I would like to give my thanks to Paul Moore for his invitation. We were in the area, so we couldn't refuse. We'll be playing a total of 10 songs from our following albums : "Number of the Beast", "Piece of Mind" and "Powerslave". Now here's where it gets interesting. It's the fans that get to pick our songs to play. Come on, tell us what you want !"

"Where Eagles Dare !" Kayla shouted out loud.

Ahsoka followed suit. "Number of the Beast !"

"The Trooper !" A man shouted.

"Aces High !" Another cried out.

"Run to the Hills !" A woman squeaked.

"Flash of the Blade !" Another shouted.

"If you guys do "Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I'll be the happiest man alive !" Paul suggested.

"Invaders !" "22 Acacia Avenue !" "Hallowed be Thy name !" Several others cried out in excitement.

Bruce was very excited with the fans' choices. "You people could not choose better songs. All right ! Let's get this show on the road ! Are you ready ?" The fans cheered as loud as they could while throwing up their metal horns or lighting up their lighters. "ARE YOU READY ?!" They screamed even louder. "All right, let's warm up with... Where Eagles Dare !"

It's snowing outside but rumbling sound  
Of engines roar in the night  
The mission is near, the confident men  
Are waiting to drop from the sky

The blizzard goes on, but still they must fly  
No one should go where eagles dare

Bavarian Alps that lay all around  
They seem to stare from below  
The enemy lines a long time passed  
Are lying deep in the snow

Into the night they fall through the sky  
No one should fly where eagles dare

They're closing in, the fortress is near  
It's standing high in the sky  
The cable cars the only way in  
It's really impossible to climb

They make their way but maybe too late  
They've got to try to save the day

The panicking cries, the roaring of guns  
Are echoing all round the valley  
The mission complete, they make to escape  
Away from the eagles nest

They dared to go, where no one would try  
They chose to fly where eagles dare

The group applauded their first song with vigor. Kayla had the biggest grin in a long time.

"Are you guys and gals having a good time ? Ok, let's continue with Number of The Beast !"

Woe to you, oh earth and sea  
For the Devil sends the beast with wrath  
Because he knows the time is short  
Let him who hath understanding  
Reckon the number of the beast  
For it is a human number  
Its number is six hundred and sixty six

I left alone, my mind was blank, I needed time to think  
To get the memories from my mind  
What did I see? Can I believe that what I saw  
That night was real and not just fantasy?

Just what I saw in my old dreams  
Were they reflections of my warped mind staring back at me  
'Cause in my dreams, it's always there  
The evil face that twists my mind and brings me to despair

Night was black, was no use holding back  
'Cause I just had to see, was someone watching me?  
In the mist, dark figures move and twist  
Was all this for real or just some kind of Hell?

6 6 6, the number of the beast  
Hell and fire was spawned to be released

Torches blazed and sacred chants were praised  
As they start to cry, hands held to the sky  
In the night, the fires are burning bright  
The ritual has begun, Satan's work is done

6 6 6, the number of the beast  
Sacrifice is going on tonight

This can't go on, I must inform the law  
Can this still be real, or just some crazy dream?  
But I feel drawn towards the chanting hordes  
Seem to mesmerize, can't avoid their eyes

6 6 6, the number of the beast  
6 6 6, the one for you and me

I'm coming back, I will return  
And I'll possess your body, and I'll make you burn  
I have the fire, I have the force  
I have the power to make my evil take its course

Ahsoka felt her stomach briefly. "This isn't too bad for you in there, right ? Oh ! You're kicking, huh ? You like this ?" She could only hope her child would enjoy this type of music.

"And now, we pay tribute to everyone out in the battlefield ! The Trooper !"

You'll take my life but I'll take yours too  
You'll fire your musket but I'll run you through  
So when you're waiting for the next attack  
You'd better stand there's no turning back

The bugle sounds as the charge begins  
But on this battlefield no one wins  
The smell of acrid smoke and horses breath  
As you plunge into a certain death

The horse he sweats with fear we break to run  
The mighty roar of the Russian guns  
And as we race towards human wall  
The screams of pain as my comrades fall

We hurdle bodies that lay on the ground  
And as the Russians fire another round  
We get so near yet so far away  
We won't live to fight another day

We get so close near enough to fight  
When a Russian gets me in his sights  
He pulls the trigger and I feel the blow  
A burst of rounds takes my horse below

And as I lay there gazing at the sky  
My body's numb and my throat is dry  
And as I lay forgotten and alone  
Without a tear I draw my parting groan

"And now we move on to aerial combat. This is Aces High !"

There goes the siren that warns of the air raid  
Then comes the sound of the guns sending flak  
Out for the scramble we've got to get airborne  
Got to get up for the coming attack

Jump in the cockpit and start up the engine  
Remove all the wheel blocks there's no time to waste  
Gathering speed as we head down the runway  
Gotta get airborne before it's too late

Running, scrambling, flying  
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again  
Running, scrambling, flying  
Rolling, turning, diving  
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die  
Won't you run? Live to fly, fly to live  
Aces high

Move into fire at the mainstream of bombers  
Let off a sharp burst and then turn away  
Roll over, spin round and come in behind them  
Move to their blindsides and firing again

Bandits at eight o'clock move in behind us  
Ten M E one o nines out of the sun  
Ascending and turning our Spitfires to face them  
Heading straight for them I press down my guns

Rolling, turning, diving  
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again  
Rolling, turning, diving  
Rolling, turning, diving  
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die  
Won't you run? Live to fly, fly to live  
Aces high

Kayla turned to her friend while applauding. "You know, I don't think I've been this excited in a long time ! They're amazing, don't you agree ?"

"Definitely ! My montrals will be ringing in the evening, but this is worth every second ! Now I'm glad you persuaded me to buy these albums. I'm really looking forward to listening to them."

"The next song is about what possibly could have occurred when the Europeans first discovered America and Native Indians. I would to note that we definitely don't encourage the actions in the song. Here we go, Run for the Hills !"

White man came across the sea  
He brought us pain and misery  
He killed our tribes, he killed our creed  
He took our game for his own need

We fought him hard, we fought him well  
Out on the plains, we gave him hell  
But many came, too much for Cree  
Oh will we ever be set free

Riding through dust clouds and barren wastes  
Galloping hard on the plains  
Chasing the redskins back to their holes  
Fighting them at their own game

Murder for freedom the stab in the back  
Woman and children and cowards attack

Run to the hills, run for your lives  
Run to the hills, run for your lives

Soldier blue in the barren wastes  
Hunting and killing their game  
Raping the women and wasting the men  
The only good Indians are tame

Selling them whiskey and taking their gold  
Enslaving the young and destroying the old

Run to the hills, run for your lives  
Run to the hills, run for your lives

Run to the hills, run for your lives  
Run to the hills, run for your lives

Run to the hills, run for your lives  
Run to the hills, run for your lives

"Ok, now we're covering a bit of medieval knight action ! It's Flash of the Blade !"

As a young boy chasing dragons with your wooden sword so mighty  
You're St. George or you're David and you always killed the beast  
Times change very quickly, and you had to grow up early  
A house in smoking ruins and the bodies at your feet

You die as you lived in a flash of the blade, in a corner forgotten by no one  
You lived for the touch for the feel of the steel, one man, and his honor

The smell of resined leather, the steely iron mask  
As you cut and thrust and parried at the fencing master's call.  
He taught you all he ever knew to fear no mortal man  
And now you'll wreak your vengeance in the screams of evil men

You'll die as you lived in a flash of the blade, in a corner forgotten by no one  
You lived for the touch for the feel of the steel, one man, and his honor

Die as you lived in a flash of the blade, in a corner forgotten by no one  
You lived for the touch for the feel of the steel, one man, and his honor

You'll die as you lived in a flash of the blade, in a corner forgotten by no one  
You lived for the touch for the feel of the steel, one man, and his honor

"All right everybody, we'll take a short break before we move on with the rest of your picks." The group all reached in a cooler for water bottles.

Ahsoka decided to approach Bruce. "Sir ? Can I ask you something ?" Bruce smiled at her. "Of course, Madam. What's your name ?"

"Ahsoka Bonteri. Anyways, would you feel honored if I told you that "Number of the Beast" was the third heave metal song I've ever heard ?"

Bruce turned to her. "Really ? Never heard heavy metal music before ? That's quite allright. You have to start at some point. I'm very happy that you enjoy what we do. It's a lot of hard work. What were the first two then ?"

"Oh, uh... it was "Highway Star" by Deep Purple and "Seek and Destroy" by Metallica."

Bruce looked at her, amazed. "Ha ha ha ! A Deep Purple song as your very first ? I guess Highway Star must have left an impression on you since you continued to listen to music."

She nodded. "Definitely ! Everything that I've heard so far, I've enjoyed tremendously. I'm really looking forward to hearing "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" in a short while."

"In about 5 minutes, we should be ready. Thanks for coming ! It means a lot to us !" He shook her hand before he headed out in the back room.

She took her seat next to Kayla, grinning as much as she could.

"You actually had the guts to talk with him. I can't bring myself to do it, I'm way too nervous. I'd stutter and shake like a leaf the whole time."

"You missed your chance. He'll be resuming his singing when he gets back. Oh wait ! You'll be able to talk with him while he autographs your CDs later."

Bruce came back out and the group cheered again. Everyone was ready to continue the show.

"All right ! Now we move on to our longest song we composed thus far. At a length going over 13 minutes, we have Rime of the Ancient Mariner !"

Hear the rime of the Ancient Mariner  
See his eyes as he stops one of three  
Mesmerizes one of the wedding guests  
Stay here and listen to the nightmares of the Sea

And the music plays on, and the bride passes by  
Caught by his spell and the Mariner tells his tale

Driven south to the land of the snow and ice  
To a place where nobody's been  
Through the snow fog flies the albatross  
Hailed in God's name, hoping good luck it brings

And the ship sails on, back to the North  
Through the fog and the ice and the albatross follows on  
Yeah yeah yeah yeah

The mariner kills the bird of good omen  
His shipmates cry against what he's done  
But when the fog clears, they justify him  
And make themselves a part of the crime

Sailing on and on and North across the sea  
Sailing on and on and North 'til all is calm

The albatross begins with its vengeance  
A terrible thirst, a curse has begun  
His shipmates blame bad luck on the Mariner  
About his neck, the dead bird is hung

And the curse goes on and on and on at sea  
And the curse goes on and on for them and me

Day after day, day after day, we stuck nor breath nor motion  
As idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean  
Water, water, everywhere and all the boards did shrink  
Water, water, everywhere nor any drop to drink, no no

There calls the mariner, there comes a ship over the line  
How can she sail with no wind in her sails and no tide

See, onward she comes  
Onward she nears, out of the sun  
See she has no crew  
She has no life, wait but there's two

Death and she, Life in Death, they throw their dice for the crew  
She wins the Mariner and he belongs to her now

Then crew one by one  
They drop down dead, two hundred men  
She, she, Life in Death  
She lets him live, her chosen one

One after one by the star dogged moon  
Too quick for groan or sigh  
Each turned his face with a ghastly pang  
And cursed me with his eye  
Four times fifty living men and I heard nor sigh nor groan  
With heavy thump, a lifeless lump  
They dropped down one by one

The curse it lives on in their eyes  
The Mariner he wished he'd die  
Along with the sea creatures  
But they lived on, so did he

And by the light of the moon  
He prays for their beauty not doom  
With heart he blesses them  
God's creatures all of them too

Then the spell starts to break  
The albatross falls from his neck  
Sinks down like lead into the sea  
Then down in falls comes the rain

Yeah  
Yeah  
Yeah

Hear the groans of the long dead seamen  
See them stir and they start to rise  
Bodies lifted by good spirits  
None of them speak and they're lifeless in their eyes

And the revenge is still sought, penance starts again  
Cast into a trance and the nightmare carries on

Now the curse is finally lifted  
And the Mariner sights his home  
Spirits go from the long dead bodies  
Form their own light and the Mariner's left alone, yeah

And then a boat came sailing towards him  
It was a joy he could not believe  
The Pilot's boat, his son and the hermit  
Penance of life will fall onto Him

And the ship it sinks like lead into the sea  
And the hermit shrives the Mariner of his sins

The Mariner's bound to tell of his story  
To tell his tale wherever he goes  
To teach God's word by his own example  
That we must love all things that God made

And the wedding guest's a sad and wiser man  
And the tale goes on and on and on and on

Paul clapped as loud as he could. "Thank you, for making my wish come true, guys ! I am now a very happy man. Thank you from the bottom of my heart ! I'll be inviting you guys as often as you want to come. You'll always be welcomed here. Thanks again."

"Long ago, Vikings struck terror in the seas and in villages. This is our song dedicated to them, Invaders !"

Longboats have been sighted and the evidence of war, has begun  
Many Nordic fighting men their swords and shields gleam in the sun  
Call to arms defend yourselves get ready to stand and fight, for your lives  
Judgment day has come around so be prepared don't run, stand your ground

They're coming in from the sea  
They've come the enemy  
Beneath the blazing sun  
The battle has to be won  
Invaders pillaging  
Invaders looting

Set ablaze the campfires alert, I know lucky other men, from inland  
Warning must be given there's not enough men here, for a stand  
The Vikings are too many much too powerful to take, on our own  
We must have reinforcements we cannot fight this battle, alone

They're coming over the hill  
They've come to attack  
They're coming in for the kill  
There's no turning back  
Invaders fighting  
Invaders marauding

Axes grind and maces clash as wounded fighters fall, to the ground  
Severed limbs and fatal woundings bloody corpses lay, all around  
The smell of death and burning flesh the battle weary fight, to the end  
The Saxons have been overpowered victims of the mighty, Norsemen

You'd better scatter and run  
The battle's lost and not won  
You'd better get away to fight another day  
Invaders raping  
Invaders plundering

"Our next song discusses occurrences in brothels, which may be a bit of a sensitive topic for several amongst you. We do not condone these at all. With that said, let's move on with... 22 Acacia Avenue !"

If you're feeling down depressed and lonely  
I know a place where we can go  
22 Acacia Avenue

Meet a lady that I know, so if you're looking for a good time  
And you're prepared to pay the price  
Fifteen quid is all she asks for, everybody's got their vice

If you're waiting for a long time for the rest to do their piece  
You can tell her that you know me  
And you might even get it free

So any time you're down the East End, don't you hesitate to go  
You can take my honest word for it  
She'll teach you more than you can know

Charlotte can't you get out from all this madness?  
Can't you see it only brings you sadness?  
When you entertain your men don't know the risk of getting disease

Some day when you're reach the age of forty  
I bet you'll regret the days when you were laying  
Nobody then will want to know  
You won't have any beautiful wares to show, any more

22, the Avenue  
That's the place where we all go  
You will find it's warm inside  
The red light's burning bright tonight

Charlotte isn't it time you stopped this mad life  
Don't you ever think about the bad times  
Why do you have to live this way?  
Do you enjoy your lay or is it the pay?

Sometimes when your strolling down the avenue  
The way you walk it make men think of having you  
When you're walking down the street  
Everybody stops and turns to stare at you

22, the Avenue  
That's the place where we all go  
You will find it's warm inside  
The red light's burning bright tonight

Beat her, mistreat her, do anything that you please  
Bite her, excite her, make her get down on her knees  
Abuse her, misuse her, she can take all that you've got  
Caress her, molest her, she always does what you want?

You're running away, don't you know what you're doing?  
Can't you see it'll lead you to ruin?  
Charlotte you've taken your life and you've thrown it away

You believe that because what you're earning?  
Your life's good don't you know that it's hurting?  
All the people that love you don't cast them aside

All the men that are constantly drooling  
It's no life for you stop all that screwing  
You're packing your bags, you're coming with me

Ahsoka turned to Kayla, eyes wide in shock. "You know... I never really considered the nature of the lyrics all that much, but now it's sinking in. Oh my Force ! Wow ! They were brave to do something like this !"

"It wouldn't be the only time a heavy metal band does a song about sex. Remember "Eat Me Alive" and "Jawbreaker" by Judas Priest ?"

Ahsoka raised an eye marking in confusion. "Huh ? Jawbreaker isn't about some poor sap who got abused in his youth and finally snaps ?"

Kayla chuckled in response. "No, darling. It's about Rob's dream... blowjob."

She turned to Kayla, horrified. "WHAT ?! You're kidding ! Come on, don't mess with me like that !"

"I'm not lying. Honest to God. I read it in an interview."

Ahsoka looks down, visibly shaken by this new fact. "I'll never be able to hear that song again. Really... it's about... that ? Ugh !" She face palmed.

Fortunately, her train of thought was broken when Bruce introduced the last song.

"And to finish things off, we have Hallowed be Thy Name !"

I'm waiting in my cold cell, when the bell begins to chime  
Reflecting on my past life and it doesn't have much time  
'Cause at 5 O'clock they take me to the gallows pole,  
The sands of time for me are running low, running low

When the priest comes to read me the last rites  
Take a look through the bars at the last sights  
Of a world that has gone very wrong for me

Can it be that there's some sort of error  
Hard to stop the surmounting terror  
Is it really the end, not some crazy dream?

Somebody please tell me that I'm dreaming  
It's not easy to stop from screaming  
But words escape me when I try to speak

Tears fall but why am I crying  
After all I'm not afraid of dying  
Don't I believe that there never is an end

As the guards march me out to the courtyard  
Somebody cries from a cell, 'God be with you'  
If there's a God then why has He let me go?

As I walk my life drifts before me  
Though the end is near I'm not sorry  
Catch my soul, it's willing to fly away

Mark my words, believe my soul lives on  
Don't worry now that I have gone  
Gone beyond to seek the truth, yeah, yeah

When you know that your time is close at hand  
Maybe then you'll begin to understand  
Life down here is just a strange illusion

Yeah, hallowed be thy name  
Yeah, hallowed be thy name  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Afterwards, the crowd applauded and cheered loudly. The band members all bowed before their fans. Paul took the microphone for a moment.

"Iron Maiden, everyone ! Did you enjoy the show ? Stick around as the team will be beginning an autograph session. Please bring your CDs over."

Both of the women were quick to be the first in line. While they enjoyed the show, they were tired and had to head back out home.

When Ahsoka got back to her apartment, Lux was in the middle of his Beethoven album. It was a refreshing change from the loud guitars, powerful drums and the operatic voice of Bruce Dickinson.

"How was your afternoon ?" He asked.

"Real good, Lux ! When Kayla & I arrived at Paul's Music Shop, they had a major surprise for the current clients. We've just seen Iron Maiden live ! It was amazing ! But also so loud ! I can't still hear ringing through my montrals."

"Seems like you've enjoyed yourself, regardless. New music you've brought ? More rock music, I take it ?"

"Well, what else would you expect from me, Lux ?" She smirked at him.

She placed her new albums on the shelf and quickly recalled one detail. "Oh, by the way... I have a feeling our coming baby will be a lively one. While we were listening to the band playing, I've felt him or her kicking on several occasions."

"Since we're talking about the upcoming baby... We've bought a crib that we need to build ourselves. I've followed the instructions as best as I could. When I thought I had it done, it fell apart. Perhaps you could try..."

She walked in the future baby room, noticing all the various parts of the crib lying on the ground. She took a quick glance at the instructions and figured out how she had to proceed.

Lux handed her a screwdriver. "You'll need this."

She shook her head. "No, I won't." She sat on the ground, cross-legged. For the first time since they've arrived on Earth over a year ago, she called on the Force to manipulate all the various parts. Lux stood in awe as everything connected, making the crib firm and safe.

"In my defense, I'm not Force-sensitive, so I couldn't pull something like that." He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"You're welcome." She walked back into the living room and plopped down on the sofa, taking a breather.

 **Saturday, July 20th**

Lux kept tossing and turning in his sleep. He decided to wake up. He turned around to notice Ahsoka was not in bed. He looked at the clock. 4:02 am. He walked out of the bedroom and noticed the kitchen light was on. And there she was, eating ice cream out of the tub.

"'Soka... it's 4 in the morning... and you're up, eating ice cream of all things. It's those cravings again, isn't it ?"

"I was hungry... and don't forget that I'm eating for two until the baby is born."

Lux looks at the tub and notices 3/4 is gone. "By the Force, I've bought that container yesterday ! Did you really eat all that ?"

"Yep. We'll need more."

"I really hope you won't be eating a full tub every day. Moreover, if you keep eating like that, odds are we'll have a baby with a sweet tooth."

She looks up to him. "Is that bad ? I haven't heard of no one not liking sweets."

"You've heard of diabetes, right ?"

"Yep."

"So you're not slowing down ?"

"Nope. Pass the chocolate syrup, please."

Lux gives her the syrup and watches her scarf down the ice cream like a machine. He shakes his head. "You enjoy your excessively sweet ice cream, I'm going back to bed. We'll talk in the morning."

She waves him good bye. "Good Night. *Burps*"

 **Wednesday, September 25th**

Around 6 pm, Ahsoka and Lux were watching The Wheel of Fortune on TV.

"If that guy buys another vowel, we should be able to figure it out. Doesn't seem too complicated."

"Possibly. It's only a matter of time unt- Oh Force ! Those contractions are getting worse by the minute. Lux ! I think it's time ! Call an ambulance !"

Lux quickly rushes to the phone, hands trembling. "Operator, what's the number for 911 ?"

The operator on the other end is trying so hard not to burst in laughter. "It's 911, sir. You seem panicked, try to calm down."

Lux quickly hangs up the phone and dials the number.

"911, what's the emergency ?"

"Hello, it's my wife ! I think she's starting her labour ! Please !"

"Calm down, sir. What's your address ? We'll send an ambulance right away."

"25 Centennial Street, Apartment 402. Please hurry !"

"We're on our way."

"Lux ! Ugh ! The pain ! The pain ! Help me !" She held her stomach, trying to ignore the painful contractions.

Several minutes later, several paramedics entered with a stretcher, gently placing Ahsoka onto it. She was administered some weak painkillers once she was placed inside the ambulance. They drove as quickly as they could, the air horns constantly blaring to warn other drivers. Thankfully, the traffic was light that night. About half an hour of driving, they finally arrived at Manhattan General Hospital.

She was quickly rushed to the maternity ward and placed on a bed. Lux was about to enter with her, but a nurse stopped him. "I'm sorry, sir. But you'll have to wait outside. It shouldn't be long until the baby is delivered."

Lux kept pacing back and forth. Hearing Ahsoka scream every few moments brought tears to his eyes. "Please, by the Will of the Force, have her and the baby come out of this unscathed."

And then another cry was heard, but it wasn't Ahsoka. It was different. It was definitely a baby's cry. For a moment, Lux breathed a sigh of relief.

The nurse came to meet him. "You can come in, sir. It's a girl. Congratulations !" Lux gave a look of shock when he saw the baby. She was half Human and Half Togruta. She had her mother's montrals and lekku, but her skin was a few shades paler than her mother. She inherited Lux's green eyes. Lux walked up to his wife, drained over the ordeal.

"Hey. We did it." She said weakly.

"I believe this is the best day of my life, 'Soka. It's the best gift anyone could ask for. So... what will we name her ?"

Ahsoka grabbed Lux's hand and squeezed it gently. "Why don't we pay tribute to the two that indirectly brought us together ?"

Lux scratches his chin in thought. "Let's see if I can figure out your hint. Mina... Padmé... Bonteri ? Yes. Yes ! This is perfect."

Ahsoka holds up her newborn daughter, smiling. "Mina Padmé Bonteri, welcome to the world."

From this moment on, Lux knew that he would need to look up his university catalog he received back on Christmas Eve the previous year. He would attempt to get the best education to provide for his growing family.

 **And the pregnancy is finally over. Interesting times will be lying ahead for the new parents. A special note to daviddavies5851 : You asked for an Iron Maiden Concert to appear eventually into the story. While not exactly a concert, it's pretty close. Hope you get a kick out of this. Over the next chapter, we'll cover the beginning of parenthood as Ahsoka and Lux get used to the new chores such as changing diapers, playing with Mina and feeding her. And Ahsoka will eventually be drawn to another hobby that is as addicting as collecting tarantulas and heavy metal music : Video Games. Feel free to leave a review.**


	3. Ahsoka becomes a Gamer

**Thursday, September 26th**

Ahsoka stirred from her sleep. She looked around her and could not recognize the room she was in. She felt slight pain through her body. She looked at her attire. Typical hospital clothes, light green robes that does a terrible job at providing warmth. She huddled herself some more with the thin bed sheets. Lux soon came in to greet her, his hair messed up as usual.

"Morning, 'Soka. Hopefully you're feeling a bit better than last night." He took a chair and sat next to her. "That birthing must have took a lot out of you. You fell asleep not long after Mina was born."

She looked to him. "What about you ? Where did you sleep ?"

"In the waiting room, not the most comfortable spot, but it served its purpose."

Ahsoka looked for her child, not seeing her, she panicked. "Wh-where is she ? Where's our baby ?"

"Relax, from what the doctors told me, she's as healthy as we could hope. A nurse should be bringing her in soon. Are you thirsty... or hungry ?"

She pointed towards a small drinking fountain in the hall outside her room. "Water will do. Please."

Lux rose up and looked around her room, he found some plastic cups. He soon returned with a bit of water. "Easy now, don't strain yourself."

A nurse entered with Mina covered in a warm blanket. "Here you are, Miss. Your beautiful daughter, barely 12 hours old as of... right now ! She was born yesterday evening at 8:35 pm. She weighs 7 pounds." She places Mina in Ahsoka's arms. "Congratulations to you both, the doctors should be here shortly."

Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "Doctors ? I can understand one, but why several ?"

The nurse shrugged her shoulders. "They wouldn't say. Most likely they have some questions to ask you two. If you'll excuse me." She left them and head off to seeing other patients.

Lux leaned towards his wife and daughter, a look of pride etched on his face. "Marvelous. Simply marvelous. I never thought this was possible."

She turned to him. "Why ?"

"Well... I was under the impression that it was impossible for Humans and Togrutas to... cross-breed." He scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.

She chuckled in reply. "Just because it hasn't been reported, doesn't mean it hasn't happened at some point. And well... Mina _is_ living proof that our two species can cross-breed ! It's a big galaxy, Lux. We certainly aren't the first to succeed in this."

A couple of doctors entered the room and closed the door. Ahsoka recognized one of them. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. ... Bonteri, was it ? I'm Dr. Rebecca Roscoe. Congratulations on a successful birth. Your daughter is nothing short of adorable."

The other doctor, a man, introduced himself. "Good morning, all of you. I'm Dr. Ronald Robertson. I'm the Head of the Pediatrics Department. Myself and Dr. Roscoe have some questions. I notice the resemblance of mother and daughter easily. Your "unique" cranial structure... I can't say I've seen this before. Something tells me it's neither a tumor or a genetic malformation. Can you explain... _these_ ?" He pointed to the headtails.

Ahsoka took a deep breath before answering. "What we're about to tell you will likely shatter all preconceived notions of life... abroad. We can trust that this stays between us ?"

Dr. Robertson cleared his throat. "Madam, we are bound by confidentiality. What is mentioned in this room... _stays_ in this room. Judging by your wording, you aren't... Human, aren't you ?"

"First thing first, my species is called Togruta. We are native to the planet of Shili. At this point, you're going to have to accept that we both are from a distant galaxy. These... headtails... if you want to call them that, they are primarily used if I spoke my native tongue, Togruti. But I haven't spoken it in over 15 years, so the language is pretty much lost on me. The stripes will pale or darken, depending on the emotions I'm feeling."

"I'm not seeing any external or internal ears. How do you hear ?" Dr. Robertson glanced closer at Ahsoka's head, trying to get a better look.

"A Togruta's hearing is through the montrals." She points at the horns on the top of her head. "They are hollow and pass sound waves. They also allow us to use a form of passive echolocation to sense other beings around us."

Dr. Roscoe listened with great interest as Ahsoka and Lux told their story about how the Clone Wars ravaged their galaxy, how they escaped from a vicious bounty hunter and finally how they managed to arrive on Earth. Dr. Robertson was dubious of the story, but given he couldn't have imagined anything like this, he knew they couldn't possibly be lying.

"There is little doubt that you're not from here. If I may be so bold, Miss. Your species is... beautiful. I'll be looking forward to keeping track of your daughter's growth. Congratulations to you two again. May your child be blessed with a long and healthy life." Dr. Robertson shook their hands before heading out with Dr. Roscoe.

Lux returned his attention back to Ahsoka and Mina. "Well... I'd say they took the news pretty well."

"We'll see, Lux. But I'm relieved that we don't have to make up any lies with them. It's better to be upfront and honest, especially with them. Just a few more days... Hopefully, we'll be able to be back home."

Suddenly, Mina began to cry.

"Could she be hungry ? One way to find out, I guess." Ahsoka began to unbutton a side of her shirt.

"'Soka... you're going to be... breastfeeding Mina ?"

She nodded. "I did some reading prior to the late pregnancy, Lux. There are a lot of vital vitamins she won't get otherwise." She chuckles as Lux turns away. "Oh, Lux ! You silly goof ! It's nothing you haven't seen before."

"I know... I'm just turning away... out of respect. That's all."

Several minutes later, Mina seemed sated. She was once again covered with the blanket and held close to Ahsoka's chest. Lux couldn't keep his gaze away from his newborn daughter.

"I still can't believe it ! Life is filled with surprises, wouldn't you agree, 'Soka ?"

Suddenly, a tall, lanky man, wearing a baseball cap backwards passing by caught Ahsoka's gaze.

"Hey Will ! What are you doing here ?" She called out.

Will did a double-take. "Huh ? Who's 'zat ? Oh ! Ahsoka ! Hey there, how are ya ? The boss's wife just got their kid ! It's a boy." He focused on Mina. "Oh Lordy Lord ! You got a little girl, huh ? Congrats to ya and yer man !"

Ahsoka's lekku darkened slightly. "Thank you, Will. Where are Burt and Linda ?"

"Five rooms on yer right, you can't miss 'em ! You gotta see the little guy ! I think he's gonna be like Burt when he grows some. Oh hey, I gotta go ! See ya laters !" Will ran off to Burt and Linda's room.

Lux turned to her. "Can you stand ? I'm sure your employer will want to see how you are faring."

She nodded. "I'll be fine, Lux. Hold Mina for me for a moment, please ?" She passed Mina to Lux, whom was slightly hesitant to hold her.

"Oh wow ! This is such a rush, 'Soka ! Here I am, holding my very first child." He loses control of his emotions and cries out of sheer joy. "I think I understand how my father must have felt when he held me in his arms for the first time. She won't be our only one, right ?"

"Perhaps in a couple of years, we can try for another. At least give me a chance to recover." She struggled briefly to stand up and walk again. "Ok, I'm good. Let's go see Burt and Linda."

They walked slowly to the other room. They knocked before entering. "Hey ! Come on in ! How are you ?" Burt pulled Ahsoka into a hug, careful not to squeeze too tightly.

She broke away from him. "I'm getting better now that the ordeal is over. This is Lux, my husband. And here is Mina, our daughter. Barely 13 hours old." She switched her attention to Burt's wife. "You must be Linda. And that little man is ?"

"Travis. He was born 6 hours ago. So you are that extra-talented mechanic that Burt keeps boasting about ? It's nice to finally meet you, Ahsoka. And you... Lux was it ? You certainly have good taste in women. No doubt little Mina and little Travis will become best friends soon enough." Linda only smiled while looking at the two newborns.

Lux cleared his throat. "Well, we should be heading back to our room, 'Soka. Breakfast will served shortly."

"It's been nice seeing you again, Burt. May Travis grow up to be as amazing as you are. Well, my stomach is grumbling enough as it is, so we should head back. I'll be seeing you again eventually. I'll call you when I'll be ready to start working again."

After they waved each other goodbye, Lux and Ahsoka walked back to their room. A nurse with a cart stood by the doorway. "Good morning, Miss. I'm serving today's breakfast. You can choose either eggs, bacon and toast or you can take pancakes with maple syrup and fruits." She showed the two trays.

She turned to Lux. "If I take the pancakes, do you mind having the fruits ?"

"Come to think of it, we haven't had pancakes in a good while. Sure, I'll gladly take your share of fruits. Heck, I'll give you one of my pancakes as well. How does that sound, 'Soka ?"

"Music to my montrals, Lux. We'll be taking the pancakes, miss."

She quickly climbed onto the bed and sat upright, holding Mina in one of her arms. "I can't wait. In a few years, you'll be eating the same good food Mommy and Daddy like so much." Lux sat on a chair next to her, using a fork to gather all the fruits from her plate and gave her an extra pancake. There were fresh strawberries, raspberries, kiwi fruit apple and orange slices.

"You don't know what you're missing out on, do you ?" He took a bite of a large strawberry, munching happily.

She turned to him and stuck out her tongue. "Oh sure, rub it in, why don't you ? I never asked to be born as a Togruta, you know. Still... the fact that I'm not entirely restricted to meat evens things out. These pancakes are delicious, and that syrup is to die for !"

They ate quietly, savoring each bite as long as they could. Their peace was soon shattered... sort of.

A familiar blonde woman entered, holding a small package wrapped in paper. "Who's the new momma ? You, that's who ! Congrats, darling ! Oh, she is so precious !"

"Kayla, thanks for dropping by. What have you got there ?"

"Just a little something I know you'd get a kick out of." She handed Ahsoka the package.

"Another CD ?! You don't have to do that, you know ?"

"Oh, just open it already."

"Ok. Give me a moment." She teared through the wrapping. "Oh ! The Runaways. Wasn't that the first band Lita Ford played in ?"

Kayla nods. "That's correct, darling. Don't expect anything heavy on the album. It's just plain rock. You haven't heard Cherie Currie's voice, have you ? It's delightful."

"Thank you for the gift, Kayla. I'll be sure to give it a listen when we get back home. Would you like to hold Mina for a few minutes ?"

Kayla reached out to Mina and held her firmly. "Oh, you bet ! Hello, Mina. You're adorable ! You look a lot like your Mommy. Yes, you do !" Mina began to cry again. "Oh, did I spook her or something ? Wanna go back in Mommy's arms ? Ok, take her back, darling." Kayla passed Mina back to Ahsoka. The moment she was back in her mother's arms, she stopped crying.

After a little bit of talking, Kayla walked out. " _Hah ! I called it ! I knew the kid would inherit those headtails. When that girl enters preschool or even daycare, she's going to gain a lot of attention... for the wrong reasons._ "

 **Saturday, September 28th**

3 days following Mina's birth, Ahsoka was finally leaving the hospital. After having called a taxi, they were on their way to their apartment. Mina was wrapped up in warm blankets. As they entered the lobby, they stopped by Jim's office.

"Good morning, Jim ! Seems you've got yourself another tenant." Ahsoka proudly unveils Mina before him.

"Oh, hello Mr. and Mrs. Bonteri. Oh Goodness Gracious ! A little girl ? That's great ! Congratulations to you both ! You're the only couple in this establishment to have children of their own. It's gonna bring a much needed spark of life in here. I'll see you guys at some point. Welcome back !"

They made their way up the stairs to their apartment. Ahsoka soon found a nice gift waiting for her. Chewbacca had molted while she was away at the hospital. She then laid down on the couch, holding Mina against her.

"It feels great being back home, Lux. We have everything ready for Mina, right ?"

Lux nodded. "Yes, we have the crib, the high chair, plenty of diapers and baby food. Now, it'll be just a matter of figuring everything out."

"Not to worry, Lux. My maternal instincts are now up and running, so we'll learn as we do. Like always."

"Well... how about we check up on Mina. Perhaps we could change her very first diaper."

"I guess. Let me place her ... can you place several blankets on the floor first, please ?"

"Ok. Let me see." Lux looks in the bathroom and finds some blankets tucked away in a closet. "I think these will do." He placed the blankets and folded them several times to create a cushion to protect Mina.

"Now, who's going first ?" He asked.

"Why don't you try ?" She suggested.

"You're the mother. You should go first." He shot back.

"No, you do it !"

"No, you do it !"

Mina is simply lying on her back, and begins to cry.

Ahsoka sighed. "Ok, while we're arguing, Mina's not getting any cleaner. So I'll go at it first. The next time it will be your turn."

She removes Mina's diaper and cleans her as best as she can. It took her several tries to figure out how to replace it correctly.

"There. Good as new. Ok, I'm tossing the soiled diaper in the garbage. Take it outside to the communal bin immediately." She washed her hands afterwards.

 **Friday, October 11th**

The first couple of weeks since Mina's birth were interesting ones. The majority of the time, Ahsoka had to wake up in the middle of the night to comfort Mina. This in turn caused Lux to lose a bit of sleep. It made it harder for him to read over the possible course details he could launch himself into for a better career. Ahsoka, on her end, spent her days playing with Mina. Over time, Mina would get drowsy and fall asleep, allowing Ahsoka to recover some of the lost sleep during the night. When it came to playing, Mina seemed especially fond of "Peek-a-Boo !" games.

Ahsoka covered herself slightly with a blanket. "Where's Mommy ?" She pulls the blanket from her. "Oh ! There's Mommy !" She repeated the act several times, causing Mina to giggle and smile blissfully. In the first several weeks, Ahsoka also felt something important about her daughter : Mina was Force-sensitive, like herself.

 **Friday, October 18th**

Early in the morning, Ahsoka had let Lux to deal with Mina while she took a classic bath to relax. Of course, Mina just had to be changed.

"Ok, Mina. Let's see if Daddy can do a better job than Mommy." He places her on several blankets and begins to pull the diaper. " _Oh Force ! Why me ? What a mess. Seems I'll have to dirty myself no matter what._ " He cleaned Mina to the best of his ability and attempted to place a new diaper. "I think I've got it ! Yes !" Lux raises a fist in the air in triumph. Just then, Ahsoka comes out, relaxed, wearing her blue kimono. She inspects Lux's work.

She face palms. "Lux ! Again, you've got it backwards !"

He scratches the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Ah... Um... Oops ?"

She face palms again. "Oops. Oops, he says. Force, grant me patience !"

"Can't blame me for trying, right ?"

She looks back at him... and suddenly bursts into laughter. "I guess not. You're a goof, Lux. But a loveable goof ! Anyways, I have an errand for you to run. See if you can get Mina a Teddy Bear plush toy. You can do that, right ?"

"Well, of course, I can. The question is, where to look ?"

"There is a Toys-R-Us in Times Square. If you're going to find a wide variety of Teddy Bears to choose from, it's there." She suggested.

"Consider it purchased, 'Soka ! I'll be leaving Mina once again... in your very capable hands." He grabbed his coat and wallet and was out the door.

After about an hour of walking, Lux finally reached the Toys-R-Us store. He was beginning to make his way across the aisles when he noticed something : It was crowded with people. Almost as much as on Christmas Eve. He quickly grabbed a Teddy Bear but was pushed by the crowds towards the center of the store. Curiosity finally got the best of him. The crowds were staring at a huge screen, something was moving. People were waiting in line to try out a device connected to the television. "What in the Galaxy is that ?" He wondered.

Then, a sponsor or a representative spoke.

"This is it, folks ! The Nintendo Entertainment System is the future of family entertainment ! Step right up ! Try your luck on Super Mario Bros. or Duck Hunt. In Duck Hunt, you must use the Zapper to get those ducks from flying away so your loyal bloodhound can catch them ! In Super Mario Bros., you can play as Mario or Luigi as you make your way through the Mushroom Kingdom to free it from the evil King Koopa ! An action-packed adventure like none other ! So, step right up !"

A 10 year-old boy steps up and tries Super Mario Bros. Lux watches from a distance as the boy controls a mustached man in red and brown suit. The boy comes in close contact with an evil walking mushroom called a Goomba. Not realizing that he needs to step on it to defeat it, he rushes to the enemy and looks surprised when he loses a "life". The boy tries again and manages to jump over the Goomba, quickly learns that there is a "jumping" button and keeps on until he falls into a bottomless pit. The boy tries one last time but fails to jump over the Goomba again, thus being brought to the Game Over screen. The boy leaves, disappointed of his poor performance.

"Anyone else ?"

Lux steps forward. "I'd like to try, sir. But, it would be that other title you mentioned."

"You want to try your luck on Duck Hunt, huh ? Ok. Give him the Zapper."

Lux was handed the weapon while they hooked it up to the machine. As the game started, Lux recalled his shooting capabilities during the Onderon Rebellion. At first, he missed the duck, causing the dog to laugh at him, and earning laughter from the crowd. " _Oh just you wait ! I'll show you all what I'm really made of !_ " As the second duck appeared on the screen, Lux managed to hit it, thus having the dog appear with the duck in his hand. Afterwards, every single duck was shot down on the first try. Lux got as far as the 5th level before the ducks were becoming too quick.

" _I only came here for a Teddy Bear, but I think this early version of Holo-Gaming would provide us some distraction and entertainment. Should I buy this ? It's likely only going to be a passing fad, but I would love to see 'Soka's attempt at these._ "

Lux approached the representative. "Excuse me, sir ? Where can I buy one of these machines and the "games" that you've demonstrated ?"

He pointed right at the table, where there were several units left. "Right over there, my good man. Yours for 299.99$. This includes the two cartridges of Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros."

"I'm taking one while there are still some left !" Lux quickly grabbed a unit and made his way to the cash register.

As he stepped outside, the weight of the NES box became unbearable. He chose to take a cab back to the apartment. As he entered the apartment, his arms hurt slightly, he quietly placed the box onto the counter and placed the Teddy Bear on the couch. As expected, Ahsoka was lulling Mina to sleep. As she stepped out the baby's room, she held a finger in front of her lips, signaling Lux to be quiet.

She whispered to him. "You have no idea how long it took me to get her to fall asleep, try not to wake her up, please."

He whispered back. "Understood, 'Soka. I've found a Teddy Bear. I hope it will be to her liking. Also... I've found something else." He brings her over to the counter.

She reads the words on the box. "Nintendo Entertainment System ? What is this ?"

"Do you remember Holo-Gaming, if at all ?"

"I can't say that I've played many games back at the Jedi Temple, Lux. Sure, I had to play a flight simulator at one point, but that was part of my training to gain my Padawan status. I'm guessing neither of these games are flight simulators ?" She looked at the box of Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt.

"Well, no. Duck Hunt, as the title suggests, is a hunting simulation."

"If I were a Trandoshan or a Bounty Hunter, I'd be slightly interested. But in this case... This "Mario" game looks pretty colorful, though. It does look fun. So how does this all work ?"

Lux opened the box, retrieving the console, cables, controllers and zapper. He soon found the instruction manual. "I'm sure we'll figure this out. Let's get to work shall we ?"

They brought all the items near the television. After several attempts of trial and error, they finally managed to hook it up properly. "You might want to mute the television before you start. We don't want to wake up Mina so quickly, now do we ?"

"Point taken, Lux. Ok, let's see what we can do."

Ahsoka started a session of Super Mario Bros. "Remember, the A button is for jumping, the B button will allow you to dash across the screen and throw fireballs once you've acquired a Fire Flower." Lux suggests.

"Hey, this ain't so bad at all ! Ok, what's that thing coming towards me ? Oh, I'm bigger ! There's a lot of jumping involved from what I can see. Is that the Fire Flower ? Yep, I'm tossing fireballs ! Huh ? A flashing yellow star ?"

"A Starman makes you invincible, 'Soka ! Plow through the enemy line ! Don't hold back ! Run !"

Ahsoka soon reaches a huge flag pole near a small castle. "What do I do here ?"

"According to the instruction manual, you need to touch the pole to clear a level."

She soon finds herself in a dark underground area. "Hmm. A cave of sorts ?"

"Be careful when you stomp on those Koopa Troopas, you can send their shell to defeat enemies, but if the shell hits a wall, it will ricochet back towards you. It can hurt you."

"Noted, Lux. Huh ? A plant with teeth hiding in those green pipes ? How do I defeat those ?"

Lux looks in the manual some more. "Either a fireball or the Starman will defeat it. Otherwise, wait for the Piranha Plant to hide back in the pipe before proceeding."

In the end of her first session, she made it as far as Level 1-3. There was a section involving moving platforms and she couldn't time her jumps properly.

"Well, that was interesting. I guess I'll be working on improving my skills with this game during my free time."

"I had a hunch you would enjoy it, 'Soka. I wouldn't be surprised that there will be other, more interesting games in the future."

"It's something to look forward to, Lux. Thank you for bringing Mina's Teddy Bear as well. I'm sure she'll love it when she'll be a little bit older."

They both went to the kitchen and made themselves some sandwiches. In the coming months, their lives would become even more exciting.

 **And we are done for this bit. I hope I did portray the video games appropriately. Over the next chapter, we'll cover Mina's first foray into semi-solid foods, her first step, her first words.** **You know how I am. Reviews keep me motivated.**


	4. Mina is talking and walking

**Saturday, December 7th**

Nearly two months and a half following Mina's birth, things were gradually calming down for the new parents. Lux had finally chosen a course to enroll in : Computer Programming. He was quite fascinated by the Macintosh personal computer and had a goal of applying for Apple Computers following his graduation. Ahsoka, on her side, was busy with Mina. After having been breast-fed for the her first two months, Mina was switched to the typical baby formula.

Lux had chosen to take a walk in Central Park, leaving Ahsoka with Mina for the majority of the afternoon. Ahsoka was holding her in a rocking chair, waving back and forth gently. Mina had gained a bit of weight. She weighed almost 14 pounds. Mina was especially receptive when music was playing. Whether it was guitar-heavy or soft orchestral chamber music, she would move to the beat of the music. Ahsoka picked her up and looked at her. "Do you want Mommy to play some music ? Would you like that ?" She placed her on several blankets and rummaged through her CD collection. In the end, she chose the album "Defenders of the Faith" by Judas Priest. "Hmm ? Why not ? Let's give it a good listen." She skipped the first track and went to the second, entitled "Jawbreaker".

Deadly as the viper  
Peering from its coil  
The poison there is coming to the boil

Ticking like a time bomb  
The fuse is running short  
On the verge of snapping if it's caught

And all the pressure that's been building up  
For all the years it bore the load  
The cracks appear, the frame starts to distort  
Ready to explode

Jawbreaker

Crouching in the corner  
Wound up as a spring  
Piercing eyes that flash are shimmering

Muscles are all contorted  
Claws dug in the dirt  
Every ounce of fiber on alert

And all the pressure that's been building up  
For all the years it bore the load  
The cracks appear, the frame starts to distort  
Ready to explode

Jawbreaker

And all the pressure that's been building up  
For all the years it bore the load  
The cracks appear, the frame starts to distort  
It's ready to explode

Jawbreaker  
Jawbreaker  
Jawbreaker  
Jawbreaker

Ahsoka turned off the stereo. face palming. "For Force's sake ! Kayla wasn't kidding, those lyrics... ugh ! It really is about..." She shook her head, banishing sick thoughts in her mind. She replaced the album with The Runaways. Mina wasn't capable to pull herself, but she moved her arms and legs as the music played. "This is quite enjoyable. No wonder Kayla and I get along so well. She knows good music."

Mina giggled as Ahsoka danced to the beat of the music, tilting her head from side to side, her lekku swinging wildly. "Is Mommy a good dancer ? Come on, you gotta dance too !" She picks her up and keeps on dancing, much to Mina's pleasure. By the time the album was finished playing, it was time to check if the diaper needed to be changed. "Still clean ! I'll check back later." She brought her to the crib and Mina soon fell asleep. As Ahsoka closed the door, she wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead. " _Phew ! Taking care of a baby is harder than I thought it would be. But it's such a thrill at the same time ! Boy, am I glad that we decided not to use a condom on the night of January 1st. Best surprise ever !_ "

For a part of the afternoon, Ahsoka kept improving her skills on Super Mario Bros. She managed to make it as far as Level 2-4, she was caught off guard when she attempted to run under Bowser as he leapt and spew a flame right as she was going under him. Bummed by her defeat, she dropped the controller in frustration.

She got up and took a glance at Bertha and Chewbacca. "Are you two hungry ? I'll give you some nice mealworms." She checked in the fridge and soon found the mealworm container. As she opened the container, she got a surprise : Several of them had pupated into adult beetles. As she brought the container near the cages, one of them flew right to her face. "HEY ! What the Force are you doing ?!" As she grabbed it, it released a foul odor. "Phew ! You stink, you know ?" She dropped it in Chewbacca's cage. The Curlyhair promptly snatched the beetle with a satisfying crunch. She caught a second one and dropped it in Bertha's cage. The Red Knee hesitated at first, stroking the beetle with its pedipalps. "Come on, sweetie ! It's a new food item for you. I know it's kinda scary for you huh ? Come on ! Get it, get it, get it !" The beetle soon met its fate as it was grabbed by the chelicerae and another satisfying crunch was heard. "Good girl !" Ahsoka stood in front of them, watching them make their "Happy Dance".

Her fixation on the spiders was soon shattered as she heard Mina crying from her room. As she opened the door, she was "greeted" with the unpleasant smell of soiled diapers. "Guess I need to change you now, huh ? Ok, we're off to the living room... again." After a quick change, Mina was giggling once again. "You're gonna sleep with Mommy, ok ?" She laid down on the couch, holding Mina in her arms. They soon nodded off to sleep together. As Lux entered, he quietly tiptoed to his wife and child. He looked at them with great pride. " _By the end of next year, we're no longer going to have any financial shortcomings. I will provide for both of you. I promise._ "

 **Saturday, January 25th, 1986**

Lux stirred awake, looked at the clock on the dresser. 9:05 am. As he stood up, his nose caught the scent of food. " _I wonder what 'Soka is cooking. Smells terrific though !_ " As he entered the kitchen, he noticed that Mina was sitting in the high chair, with some baby food lying on the table. "Good morning, my lovely Togruta." He tried to get a peek at the frying pan. She placed the spatula on the counter, turned around and quickly tackled him, kissing him while he was on the ground. "Morning, love... and Happy Birthday ! So you're 24. How do you feel ?" She helped him back up and motioned him to the table. "Pretty good, actually. I've had a very good night. Slept like a brick. I haven't done so in a good while. What are you making ?"

"Scrambled eggs, ham, bacon and toasts. Don't worry about tonight, I have an idea." She finished her cooking and placed Lux's plate before him. She handed him a mug of coffee as well.

"Would you like to share your idea or will you keep it a secret ?" He teased.

"How about we try that seafood joint that we first tried... almost 2 years ago ?" She gasped as the notion of time gone by hit her. "Wow ! Time sure flies by on this planet. Despite having a peaceful civilian lifestyle, I feel that we're even busier than ever !"

He nodded. "You're right ! In little less than 2 years on this planet, our lives changed for the better. Sure, seafood sounds good for tonight. I see that you've taken out the baby food for Mina. Is she already capable of eating semi-solid foods ?"

"She is 4 months old today, so yes. I've fed her some for the first time yesterday. She really enjoys the strawberry puree. I'm about to try this carrot puree. Hopefully she'll like this too." She dips the small spoon in the jar and brings it to Mina's lips. "Come on, Mina. Eat up !" Mina hesitates to taste it since it's something strange to her. "I know how to get her to eat, Lux. Just watch. Mina. Look, Mommy likes it too." Ahsoka takes a small spoonful of carrot puree and shoves it in her mouth. She almost gags and forces herself to swallow. " _Oh Force, this is awful ! I'm glad that I'm no baby. I wouldn't even give this to my worst enemy. Gotta swallow. Come on, I can do this ! SWALLOW !_ " She rubbed her stomach, cracking a fake smile. "Yummy yum yum ! Mommy really likes this, Mina. Come on, eat up." Mina finally begins to eat... and makes a face as she doesn't like the taste of it. At all. "You don't like it ? Good thing Mommy only bought one of those, huh ?"

 **WARNING : 4th WALL BREAK APPROACHING**

She turns to you, the reader. "They couldn't pay me enough to do this, you know !"

 **4th WALL BREAK END**

After Mina had finally eaten her share of the puree, it was promptly tossed in the garbage. "We're not going to force her to eat something she doesn't like, right ?"

Lux nods. "I agree. For the time being, we can avoid carrots. But eventually, she will need to get used to the taste when she'll be older. They're loaded with vitamins and apparently they are very good for the eyes. It's only a matter of time until she'll be running around everywhere."

Ahsoka played with Mina over the afternoon. Finally, 4 pm came around. Lux walked to the fridge. "Would you care for a beer, 'Soka ?"

She got up and looked to him. "Sure ! Since I'm no longer breastfeeding Mina, I can have a drink or two without worrying for her health. What've we got ?"

"We've got Miller Draught, Guinness Draught and Stella Artois."

"Ok, I'll take a Stella Artois." She reached for a glass in the cupboards.

They went to the living room, supervising Mina while she was playing with some toys. "So... what was that seafood placed called again ?" Lux asked.

"I'm not sure, Lux. Was it something like The Captain's Delight or something else along those lines ?"

Lux got up and looked in the phone book. "Let me look here for a moment. *Searches through the pages* Here it is. How about that ? You were right. It is called The Captain's Delight. You've got a good memory, 'Soka."

She smirked at him. "It's not too surprising, given everything I was taught at the Jedi Temple, I still remember quite well. I remember various languages such as Shyriiwook, Ithorese and even Twi'leki. It's ironic, I remember those languages, but not my own. Oh well, I'm doing just fine with Basic anyways."

After a while, their food was ordered and delivered. They took something called The Captain's Platter. It was a assortment of breaded shrimps, lobster meat, fried clams, fried mussels, large scallops and a piece of fried fish. Mina looked from her high chair and was curious at what her parents were eating.

After eating, it was time to put Mina to sleep. Ahsoka sang a soft lullaby and she soon nodded off to sleep. Lux was watching television and happened to catch the movie Rocky. Not especially a fan of sport movies, he found the story to be quite inspirational. Something about a poor man suddenly finding success in life reminded him of how they first began their lives on this new planet. Ahsoka wasn't a fan of Paulie, seeing how he often got drunk and caused anguish to his sister, Adrian. During the match against Apollo Creed, Ahsoka was constantly on edge as the two fighters exchanged blows. By the end of the movie, both expected Rocky to win. The tie and following decision to give the victory to Apollo was very unexpected for them. Regardless of this, Rocky expressed his love for Adrian, which the couple found a sweet touch to the ending.

 **Tuesday, January 28th**

As Lux left for work, Ahsoka was sitting on the couch with Mina in her arms. She was looking at a cookbook, looking for a new recipe to attempt later in the day. By 11:30 am, she turned on the television to view the Challenger Shuttle taking off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. "They won't be going to our galaxy, that's for sure. I don't think they have hyperspace travel capabilities."

At first, everything seemed to go well, but a minute and 13 seconds later, something went wrong. The shuttle began to tear in pieces, killing the astronauts onboard ! Ahsoka gasped and quickly turned Mina to her, shielding her from the horrific accident. She felt a lump in her throat. Soon, tears were falling. "OH. MY. FORCE. Those poor people... They didn't even get a chance to head out into space. Their families must be devastated by the sight."

Over the afternoon, she had to distract herself by taking care of Mina while waiting for Lux to get back. Around 5 pm, whatever program she was watching was interrupted by a broadcast with US President Ronald Reagan. He was about to deliver a heartfelt speech concerning the Challenger disaster.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the Union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss.

Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible accident on the ground. But we've never lost an astronaut in flight; we've never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we've forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle. But they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven heroes: Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as a nation together.

For the families of the seven: we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we're thinking about you so very much. Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, "Give me a challenge, and I'll meet it with joy." They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us. We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us. But for 25 years the United States space program has been doing just that. We've grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers.

And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them.

I've always had great faith in and respect for our space program, and what happened today does nothing to diminish it. We don't hide our space program. We don't keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That's the way freedom is, and we wouldn't change it for a minute. We'll continue our quest in space. There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue. I want to add that I wish I could talk to every man and woman who works for NASA or who worked on this mission and tell them: "Your dedication and professionalism have moved and impressed us for decades. And we know of your anguish. We share it."

There's a coincidence today. On this day 390 years ago, the great explorer Sir Francis Drake died aboard ship off the coast of Panama. In his lifetime the great frontiers were the oceans, and an historian later said, "He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it." Well today we can say of the Challenger crew: Their dedication was, like Drake's, complete.

The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and "slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God."

Thank you."

Several minutes later, Lux came in, looking quite shocked. "Tell me you didn't see that shuttle destroy itself on television. Going by what myself and Mr. Smith heard on the radio, it's a tragic event."

"Oh, I've seen it all right. It was awful ! Those poor people. Lux, I feel the nation's loss. It could've been us !" She hugged him tightly, and cried on his shoulder. She had not been so shaken since her trial on Coruscant.

"Sometimes, it takes a risky move to advance forth, 'Soka. Like when you entered those random coordinates in the pod when we were escaping that Bounty Hunter. Though, we managed to survive. Others, as it would seem, aren't so lucky. Will you be all right ?"

"Yes. I think so. With time, these things heal. I'll be OK, Lux. As long as you're at my side. " She dried her tears.

"I'll never leave you as long as I live. I promise." He held her again, gently caressing her lekku, providing some comfort.

 **Thursday, July 17th**

It was late afternoon, Ahsoka was playing Super Mario Bros. with Mina nearby. At almost 10 months old, Mina was crawling and getting everywhere. She was babbling incessantly. She crawled towards the spider cages. "'pider ! 'pider !" She shouts, pointing towards the cages. Ahsoka paused the game. "Mina... what did you say ?"

"'pider ! S... spider !" She shouts again.

"You said spider ! Oh my Force ! Mina, you're talking !" She cried out in sheer joy. Her daughter had said her first word.

"Ma-ma ? Mama !" Mina shouts.

Ahsoka nodded and kneeled before her. "That's right, Mina. I'm your Mama." She hugged her and kissed her forehead. Lux entered and wondered what made his wife to have tears all over her cheeks. "What's going on ?" He asked.

"Lux ! Mina is talking ! She just said her first words !"

"Really ? Already ? What were her first words ?"

Ahsoka was holding Mina and brought her over to the cages. "Spider ! Mama ! Spider !" Mina shouted excitedly.

Lux took Mina is his arms. "How about that ? Daddy's little girl is talking !"

"Da-da ? Dada !"

"Oh ho ho ho ho ! You catch on quick, don't you Mina ?" Lux turned to Ahsoka. "I have a feeling we'll have a very intelligent girl on our hands."

She nodded. "With little doubt, Lux. We're both intelligent people, so our smarts should be in her blood."

"I can see it now, 'Soka. Mina Bonteri, graduated with Honors ! She will make us proud."

 **Friday, July 25th**

Over a week passed since Mina began to speak. She was gaining new vocabulary every day.

Ahsoka was placing her in the high chair for feeding. "Mina, do you want chicken or pork puree ?"

Mina pointed to the chicken puree. "Chicken, Mama !"

"Chicken it is, then. Mama is going to get your little spoon... and Mama will give you juice, too !"

"Juice ! Yay !" Mina shouted in excitement.

After a quick meal, she was brought over to the living room. While Ahsoka was cleaning some dishes, she looked back to see Mina struggling to stand up. "Mina, what are you doing ?"

"Mama ! Mama !" She took a wobbly step and fell down. She got up and tried again.

Ahsoka placed her drying cloth on the counter and stood on her knees. "Come on, Mina ! You can do it ! Come on !" Every following step became easier. She walked over to her mother. "You're amazing, you know that ? Not even a year old and you're already walking ! Wonders never cease." She pulled Mina in a hug. "Ok, Mina. Keep walking around while I clean up. Then, we'll play together."

Over the course of the afternoon, Ahsoka played tag with Mina, prompting her to keep walking and even beginning to run. She would stumble every now and then, but she would stand up again and keep going. By dinner time, Mina was exhausted and fell asleep. Lux soon came in from work. Ahsoka ran over to him and pulled him in a hug. "Lux ! Guess what ? Mina's walking ! Heck, she's even running !"

"Our little girl is improving day by day it seems. I guess the next step will be to see her "relieve" herself on her own. Or to see her eat on her own. Her birthday is in a couple of months. I say we buy her a small chocolate cake for the event. Given she already likes sweets, she will enjoy her first cake."

Over the evening, Ahsoka and Lux played Super Mario Bros. Ahsoka controlled Mario while Lux controlled Luigi. They made it as far as Level 4-2 together. They were improving quite rapidly, but the complete conquest of the game would take them several more months of practicing to do.

 **Mina will be a little more than a handful. Over the next chapter, we'll see Kayla babysitting Mina while Ahsoka and Lux go to the movies.** **Feel free to leave a review.**


	5. Babysitting and a Movie

**Wednesday, September 24th**

Ahsoka and Lux were waiting outside their apartment, with Mina in her mother's arms. He was given a few days off so he could do something special for his little girl. They were going to do a bit of quick grocery shopping together. Tomorrow would mark Mina's 1st birthday. They wanted to buy her a small chocolate cake. Given she enjoys sweets, she would certainly remember her birthday with that.

Lux was fidgeting about, looking at his watch once in a while. "They told us 15 minutes, 'Soka. It's been over 20 minutes since we've been waiting here for that cab."

Ahsoka only rolled her eyes. "Did you take into account that the cabbie probably ran into some red lights on the way ? We've been here for well over 2 years now, you _know_ how traffic jams often occur, especially at rush hour. You really need to be more patient."

"It will only get worse with time. May I suggest... that once Mina is registered at a daycare... that you have a look for a vehicle we could purchase at a good price ? It would save us some time instead of waiting for a cab to pick us up... especially during the cold winter." Lux crossed his arms and sighed. It had almost been half an hour since they called for a cab.

She kept her hold over Mina. "She seems to have fallen asleep in my arms. All the better, here's hoping the cab ride will be a smooth one. And yes, Lux. I'll look into purchasing a used car somewhere. Plenty of dealers around. I'm sure I can find something that will meet our basic needs. On top of that, we will save on repairs since I know my way around the mechanics like the back of my hand. So I'll be able to fix most issues on my own. That mechanic certification was worth it, after all."

Finally the cab arrived. They loaded the baby carriage in the trunk. "Hop in, fellas. Sorry about the wait, ran into several red lights on the way. So where to ?" The cabbie started to take off.

"Just the local supermarket, please. If you can, do you mind waiting for us ? We won't be long." Lux suggested.

"Not a problem, my friend. I happen to like you guys. You're not rude like a good majority of New Yorkers. You two got manners, for one."

Ahsoka smiled at that comment. "Thank you, sir. Hopefully, our daughter will retain our good manners as she grows up. It's a very exciting time for us, we're celebrating her 1st birthday tomorrow."

"1st birthday, huh ? That's great ! I remember when my son was a year old. He was a handful, I'll tell ya that ! Now he's 9 years old, he's a good kid. I'm sure your girl will be the same. Well, here we are. Take all the time you need. I'll be parked up by the sidewalk over there." The cabbie points near the end of the supermarket before helping them to unload the baby carriage.

Mina was quickly strapped to the carriage. She was still very much asleep, which amused Ahsoka a great deal. " _She is getting better with the snoozing. I really hope she'll be that quiet when Kayla babysits her on the 26th._ "

As they entered the supermarket, a couple of elderly ladies quickly glanced at Mina. "That has to be the funniest hat we've seen ! That's so cute !" Little did they know, the "hat" they referred to was actually part of her head. Ahsoka could only smirk in response. " _If only they knew. Ignorance is bliss. That had to be the cutest comment I've heard of Mina so far._ "

They arrived at the pastry section, looked around for the smallest chocolate cake available. Lux motioned to one. "Look here, 'Soka. Chocolate and Caramel Melt. Would this be too rich for her ?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "Nah, she'll be fine. You can't beat a good chocolate cake with a glass of milk, now can you ? No doubt she will love it. Take it. Was there anything else that we need ?" She turned to him.

"Do we need more diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, tissues and baby powder ?"

She stroked her chin in thought. "We have plenty of diapers and toilet paper at home. I think we're low on baby powder, especially. A few rolls of paper towels should be all that we really need. Might as well get a few boxes of tissues. Anything else you may want to add ?"

"Since it's still quite warm outside at this time of year, why don't make ourselves hamburgers on the barbecue tonight ? We can stop by the meat section for hamburger meat and then grab a set of hamburger buns. Oh wait, they're right here !" He quickly grabs a pack of hamburger buns and they head off towards the meat section.

"You always have a way to get me drooling, don't you ? I should have never told you my "weakness." Maybe we could give Mina a taste of it ? I'll cut it up in tiny little pieces so she'll be able to eat it without risk of choking." She suggested.

Lux chuckled at her comment. "Not much of a weakness, as you put it. People in our galaxy have to be pretty dense to not know that Togrutas are carnivorous. I think we have everything we wanted." He quickly glanced at Mina. "Is she still asleep ?" He whispered.

Ahsoka nodded. "So far, so good, Lux. Don't jinx it. Come on, let's pay for our stuff and get back home."

After paying for their groceries, the cabbie was waiting for them by the side of the store. He was quite helpful to load the groceries and baby carriage back in the trunk of his vehicle. As they began their trip back home, Mina stirred awake. She looked around as the speeding cars whooshed around them. She was just focused at the sights as they speeded towards their apartment.

When they arrived, the cabbie opened the doors and had a quick peek at Mina, smiling. When she saw him, she was unsure of what to do, she turned around to her mother and held tight to her. "It's ok, Mina. The nice man won't hurt you. Look, we're home !" She placed her near the door before returning to help Lux with groceries. As usual, the cabbie was generously tipped for his services.

As they entered the lobby, Jim caught them passing by. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Bonteri. And little... Mina, was it ?" He waved to her. Mina still wasn't sure how to act. Ahsoka knelt before her daughter. "Mina, you gotta wave to Mister Jim. You've seen him before, he's very nice."

"Ok, Mommy." She waved back to him. "Bye bye, Mister Jim !" She shouted, before running after her parents.

Jim could only laugh at the child's innocence. " _She's well-mannered, for one. By the time she begins school, I have a feeling she'll have a lot to talk about._ "

They entered their apartment. After placing their bags on the counter, they quickly stashed the items where they belonged. Ahsoka knelt on the carpet of the living room, calling out to her daughter. "Mina, come see Mommy."

Mina notices that her mother is holding something in her hand. "What's that, Mommy ?"

"A reward. You've been a good girl today, Mina. Mommy will be taking half of it, the other is yours." She hands over a small part of a soft, chewy caramel. As Mina is about to take it, she closes her hand. "What do you say first, Mina ?"

"Thank you, Mommy." She hands over the caramel. Within a few moments of chewing, she swallowed and looked at her mother, smiling.

"Good girl" Ahsoka wrapped her arms around Mina, hugging her.

Lux was slightly amused by Ahsoka's method of teaching her good manners. "Certainly that can encourage her to behave, but let's not make it a habit. She shouldn't be expecting sweets every time she does something nice."

"Of course, dear. Let's say it'll be a treat for her once in a while."

Mina had an excessive amount of energy, she kept running around her parents.

"Can we have music, Mommy ?"

"What's the magic word, Mina ?" Lux asked.

"Please ?"

Ahsoka brings her near the stereo. "Ok, Mina. What do you want Mommy to play ?"

"Fairies wear boots, Mommy ! Fairies wear boots ! Yay !" Mina shouted excitedly.

Ahsoka chuckled at her choice. It was about the most harmless song, lyrics-wise, by Black Sabbath. With a rippin' bass and guitar section to boot ! She reached out in her CD collection and pulled out the Paranoid album.

As the song began, Mina simply danced and hopped around in excitement. Even Lux was amused by her antics. "Never thought she'd enjoy this loud music, 'Soka."

Goin' home, late last night  
Suddenly I got a fright  
Yeah I looked through a window and surprised what I saw  
Fairy wear boots and dancin' with a dwarf, all right now!

Yeah, fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me  
Yeah I saw it, I saw it, I tell you no lies  
Yeah, fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me  
I saw it, I saw it with my own two eyes, all right now!

Yeah, fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me  
Yeah I saw it, I saw it, I tell you no lies  
Yeah, fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me  
I saw it, I saw it with my own two eyes, all right now!

So I went to the doctor, see what he could give me  
He said "Son, son, you've gone too far.  
`cause smokin' and trippin' is all that you do."  
Yeah...

Over the course of the song, Mina giggled as Ahsoka made a poor attempt to "Air guitar" Iommi and Butler's solos.

Lux laughed a bit. "You call me a goof at times, 'Soka ? You should see yourself when you air guitar. It's downright silly."

She stuck out her tongue to him. "It's all in good, clean fun, Lux. I'm glad to see that she enjoys this song. Maybe I could take her to an Ozzy Osbourne concert when she'll be older."

"As long as she doesn't dwell too much into the lyrics, it should be fine. For now, she only sees a song about a fairy with boots. Eventually, she'll catch on that it's the cause of a drug-induced trip." Lux warned.

"Don't worry, she won't be exposed to such with us. I think we can both agree that we'll be sticking to alcoholic beverages to get a so-called "buzz". I've read some magazines while on break at work. Some of those drugs people take are outright dangerous, so neither of us will be starting anytime soon. You don't plan to beginning to smoke, do you ?"

Lux shook his head. "No thanks. I like my lungs the way they are. We have some clients at work which are chain smokers. Let me tell you, they don't smell like roses. The smell of cigarette smoke disgusts me. So I'll trust you to teach her to beware of such things."

"It'll be ok, Lux. We'll be fine. Do you mind watching Mina for several minutes ? I'll be in the bathroom for a little while."

"By all means, go on ahead. I have no business there for the time being." He turned to Mina. "Mina, do you want Daddy to play some of his music ?"

Mina nodded happily.

Lux took out his Chopin album. He picked Mina up and placed her besides him on the couch. After about 15 minutes of playing, Mina slowly fell asleep. As Ahsoka exited the bathroom, she caught sight of Lux putting Mina in her crib and placing a blanket over her.

"She just nodded off while Chopin was playing. It's very possible that it has a calming effect on her." He whispers.

"We'll have to tell Kayla about this when she babysits in a couple of days. I trust you have your reservations done for Friday night ?" She whispers back.

Lux pulled her outside of Mina's room and closed the door. "Everything is in order, we're expected to be at The French Roast by 5 pm. It's a 5 course dinner. We should be done before 8 pm. We'll call a cab to take us to the movie theater so we can see Crocodile Dundee at 9 pm. You've worked hard enough as it is, keeping up with Mina all this time. _You_ deserve a break. _We_ deserve a break from all the craziness. We'll have a great time, I'm sure of it."

They embraced each other for a few moments. "Thank you, Lux, for making those arrangements. I would have never known there was a high-class French restaurant in the city."

"It's the least I could do. It's one of the perks working with Mr. Smith. He knows plenty of people. So he gave me the recommendation to try out that restaurant. You know me, being a gourmet at heart, this is an opportunity to try something new and different that I can't pass by. I'll be sure to extend my thanks to him next week when I get back to work." His stomach grumbled while he imagined all sorts of succulent dishes.

 **Thursday, September 25th**

It was a pleasant day for the family. After they took an afternoon stroll in Central Park, Lux and Ahsoka began to prepare everything for Mina's 1st birthday. She was sitting in her high chair, looking at what her parents were doing with much curiosity. She had enjoyed the small bits of hamburger meat she was offered the day before. Today, she had a very different menu. She was given some fish fillet, cut up into tiny, bite-sized pieces. For vegetables, she had a tiny portion of mashed potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes. For fruits, she was offered a couple of strawberries, cut up into small slices.

As she ate with her hands, she made a small mess. Nothing her parents couldn't clean. Now was the time for her first cake. Before they could unveil the cake, a knock on the door was heard.

"Come on in !"

Mina looked and recognized the person. "Auntie Kayla !" She shouted in excitement.

Kayla came in, holding a plush toy in her arms. "Happy birthday, little Mina. Look, Auntie Kayla brought you a little something. It's not much, but I'm sure you'll like it." Kayla showed the plush toy, a white Teddy Bear and placed it on the table near Mina.

Ahsoka held a small plate with a muffin-sized cake, with a candle in the middle. "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Mina, Happy Birthday to you." Ahsoka sang gently.

"And many more..." Lux added with a terrible attempt at singing.

Mina just blinks, not sure what to do. She wanted to reach out for the cake, but the lit candle made her hesitate.

"Ok Mina, you have to make a wish before blowing on the candle." Ahsoka said.

"What's that, Mommy ?"

Ahsoka's headtails darkened slightly. Her little girl is learning, but there is still so much she'll want to know.

"A wish ? It's something good that you want to happen." She explained.

"Oh." Mina seems to think for a little while. Then she used all her strength to blow out the candle. The adults all clapped at her first attempt.

Ahsoka removed the candle and placed the plate right in front of Mina's face. "Ok, Mina. This cake is all for you. Eat up !"

Mina took a small chunk of chocolate cake and shoved it in her mouth. She soon reached for another handful. In a short while she had eaten the entire cake, her hands and face were covered in chocolate. After a quick cleanup of Mina and of the dining area, they were all in the living room, talking about their upcoming night.

"So we're still not sure what to expect from the movie, but what little we've heard is that it's quite funny." Ahsoka rose up and offered a cup of coffee to Kayla.

"Thank you, darling. No doubt you two will have a great romantic night together. Not to worry, Mina will be in capable hands." Ahsoka showed her friend where all the baby items were.

Kayla looked to Mina, who was playing with her toys. "Well Mina, Auntie Kayla will be watching over you tomorrow night. We'll have a lot of fun, right ?"

Mina nodded happily.

Lux looked at the clock. "7:00 pm. So in approximately 22 hours, myself and Ahsoka will be enjoying our dinner at The French Roast. I have little doubt that we will have a marvelous meal. I can't even begin to imagine what the wine selection will be. No doubt we'll be pleasantly surprised."

About an hour later, Mina was put to bed and Kayla went back to her place to check up on Hershey.

 **Friday, September 26th**

It was 4 pm. Kayla had just entered Ahsoka and Lux's apartment. She was soon greeted by Lux, who wore a tuxedo outfit.

"Holy Moley ! Buddy, are you going to a Symphony or what ?"

"Not quite, but The French Roast is a high-class dining establishment. We're not getting out of there without at least a 1500.00$ bill on our hands. It's a good thing we have earned that stash from Ahsoka's work last year. I realize this must seem excessive to you. In truth, I've never had a chance to properly make it up to Ahsoka after we had a very quick wedding ceremony on Arda. So this is an opportunity to show how much I care about her."

Ahsoka's voice was heard from the bedroom. "Lux, could you come over here, please ? I can't zip up the back of my dress without scraping my back lek."

"I'm coming." Lux entered the bedroom and used a hand to hold up her back lek and used the other to bring the zipper to the top of her dress. "There we are. I must say, 'Soka, you look absolutely marvelous !"

She soon made her way to the kitchen. Kayla's eyes grew wide as she saw her friend in a very exquisite white gown. Her montrals were adorned with jewels and her outfit left little to the imagination.

"How do I look ?" She asked, whirling in place.

"Darling, you look like a princess right out of a fairy tale ! You two will definitely fit in with the "rich" crowd."

"We better head out now if we want to be there on time. Kayla, there are a couple of things I haven't told you yet : Mina's bedtime is at 8 pm. Make sure she gets her bath before that time. If she becomes restless, Lux told me that Chopin's music lulls her to sleep pretty quickly. Ok, we gotta go ! Good Luck !" With that, Lux and Ahsoka rushed down to the lobby. Their taxi was waiting. Within 15 minutes, they were at The French Roast. Lux noticed that she had brought a bag with her.

"What's that ?" He asks.

"My old outfit."

"So you'll be changing before we head out to the movie theatre ?"

She nodded. "Oh yes. There is NO WAY that I'll be running around in the movie theater in this dress."

As they entered, a distinguished man greeted them. "Bonsoir, Monsieur et Madame. Welcome to The French Roast, I trust you have a reservation, hmm ?"

Lux nodded. "Indeed we do, my good man. Bonteri, Lux Bonteri."

The man looked in his reservations list. "Ah yes ! Mr. Bonteri. Follow me please." They were led to a table with a large window overlooking the busy streets. A waiter appeared, filling glasses with cold water. He looked at Ahsoka and did a double-take. "They get weirder and weirder..." He muttered quietly to himself as he was out of earshot.

At first, there was silence as they stared at each other. Ahsoka decided to break it. "Wanna have a look at the wine listing while we wait ?" She offered the wine menu. The following wines were available by the glass or by a bottle :

Georges Duboeuf Merlot

By the glass - 5.00$

By the bottle - 15.00$

La Vieille Ferme Ventoux (Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah)

By the glass - 10.00$

By the bottle - 30.00$

Baron Philippe de Rothschild Chardonnay

By the glass - 10.00$

By the bottle - 30.00$

Chateau Louis Latour Pinot Noir

By the glass - 25.00$

By the bottle - 75.00$

William Fèvre Champs Royaux Chablis

By the glass - 30.00$

By the bottle - 90.00$

Chateau Pétrus (95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc)

By the glass - 300.00$

By the bottle - 1000.00$

Lux's eyes widened at the insane price of Chateau Pétrus. "300.00$ for a glass of wine ?! This had better be the best wine in the world !"

Ahsoka shook her head. " _We_ are not spending a grand on a bottle of wine, Lux. Forget it." She snatched the wine listing from him. "That Louis Latour looks reasonable enough. You know, I've read your wine book a bit. It said that Pinot Noir is one of the lightest of reds and is generally very pleasant. How about we go with that ? If anything, 75.00$ is a whole lot less than 1000.00$." She suggests.

After a while, the waiter reappeared, holding a notepad. "Good evening, Monsieur, Madame. My name is Jean. I'll be your waiter for the evening. The menu for the evening is as follows : The first service is our delicious Escargots à l'Ail (Snails in a Garlic sauce), offered with a French baguette. Afterwards, we have a Crème de Champignons (Cream of Mushroom). The third service is our world-renowned Côtes D'Agneau (Lamb Ribs). After all of this is the main course, our Chef-D'Oeuvre, Rôti de Sanglier (Wild Boar Roast). And for dessert, we have a Crème Brulée (Burnt Cream). In light of this exquisite dinner, we recommend Chateau Louis Latour Pinot Noir as it will complement the meats. It is... how do we say it again in France ? Le marriage parfait ! (The perfect wedding) Would you care for a drink in the meantime ?"

Lux browsed the wine menu some more, looking for a beer listing. "Excuse me... Jean, is it ? You wouldn't happen to have a beer to offer do, you ?"

"Why yes, we have Kronenbourg 1664. It is a refreshing French lager. Would you like to try it, sir ?"

Lux nodded. "Please, if it's no trouble at all."

Jean scribbled details on his notepad. "Très bien, Monsieur. Would you like to try it as well, Madame ?" He turned his gaze to Ahsoka.

She smirked. "Might as well."

"Very well, I will fetch your beers for now. The Escargots should be ready in about 20 minutes. Thank you for your patience, Monsieur, Madame." He bowed politely before the couple and made his way towards the bar.

Meanwhile, back at the apartment...

Kayla had a relatively easy time getting Mina to eat. When it came to dessert, Mina had other ideas. Kayla had her back turned for a moment, by the time she turned to Mina, something was odd. The cupcake was floating around.

"What the ?! Mina... are you doing that ?"

Mina simply giggles in reply. She used her hands to send the cupcake near Kayla's face. "Oh... I see. You've got the Force like your mother. Now, Mina. Put the cupcake down, ok ?"

"I wanna play !" Mina shouts from her high chair.

"Oh no ! No, no, no, no, no !" Before Kayla could move away, the cupcake hit her square in the face, causing Mina to laugh.

Back at the restaurant...

Ahsoka and Lux were at their 4th service. They already had a beer and two glasses of wine each. They were slightly buzzed, but not drunk. All of a sudden, Ahsoka put down her glass and closed her eyes.

"'Soka ? Something wrong ?"

"It's Mina. She's using the Force to pull pranks on Kayla. I can feel it through the Force."

"Bad pranks ?" Lux asked.

"No. Nothing malicious. Just a cupcake that flew right into Kayla's face."

Lux chuckled. "That ain't too bad. Still, you'll need to talk to her about her controlling her Force powers."

"She's a year old, Lux. Even if I try to explain it to her, she won't understand. Little point in getting angry at her now. Wait a few years. Things will be in control, I'm sure of it."

"Very well. I'm just hoping that the incident won't turn Kayla away from babysitting her again."

Back at the apartment...

"Ok, Mina. It's time for your bath. Now where's that rubber ducky ?"

The toy squeaked as it hit Kayla in the stomach. "Ouch ! Oh come on, Mina. Be nice. Or Auntie Kayla won't play with you again."

Mina looks at her caretaker, her eyes getting watery.

"Don't cry, please. Don't cry. It's ok. I'm not really mad at you. I'm mad at Mr. Ducky over here."

Mina simply splashed all over as she got cleaned up. After a bit, she was dried and fitted with a new diaper. It was almost time to put her to sleep. "Ahsoka told me to play the Chopin album." She begins to play the music and Mina soon falls asleep, exhausted from her use of the Force.

Back with Ahsoka and Lux...

After an expensive dinner (1500.55$ as Lux predicted), their taxi was waiting outside to take them to the movie theatre. Lux was waiting by the women's bathroom door. In a short while, Ahsoka came out, but she was in her old Jedi outfit.

"Shall we get going ? Our taxi is waiting for us outside." Lux motioned to her.

After a quick drive, they entered the movie theatre. She looked at her watch. "8:50 pm. Let's grab some popcorn and water bottles and get to it."

Soon enough, the lights in the room shut themselves off and the movie began. At first, it was a bit confusing. When they saw Dundee making his appearance at the Walkabout Creek Bar, they didn't know what to expect.

Mick "Crocodile" Dundee tried to dance with Sue Charlton, a reporter from New York. There were several poachers around, mocking him.

"Hey Dundee, where could a man shoot a few crocs around here, eh ?" The lead poacher asked him, rudely.

"How should I know, Shit-For-Brains ?" Mick retorts.

Before a fight could break out, Mick hit the leader with an uppercut while dancing. It was enough to convince the poachers to leave Walkabout Creek Bar with their downed leader.

Later on, Mick escorted Sue to where he was attacked. He told his story how he managed to "talk" the crocodile out of eating him after it attempted a "death roll". At a point, Sue decided to venture on her own. She stopped by the riverbank, wanting to refill her water canister, but not before unveiling a swimsuit that left little to the imagination. The crowd murmured with "Ooohs" and "Aaahs" all over. Lux was no different. "That's one heck of a rear !" He was soon slapped on the wrist by Ahsoka, looking at him with a definite frown. Everyone jumped in their chairs when a crocodile attacked Sue. Mick quickly ran to her rescue, planting a knife in the crocodile's head, killing it.

"Is it dead ?" Sue asked, still shaken from the near-death experience.

"Well if it isin't, it'll be a helluva job skinning the bastard !" Mick replies.

After a while, Sue meets an Aboriginal named Neville Bell.

Neville shakes his head as Sue tries to take a photograph.

"Oh no, you can't take my photograph." Neville said plainly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You believe it will take your spirit away ?" Sue asked innocently.

"No, you still got your lens cap on it." Neville replied smugly, earning laughter from the audience.

Further into the film, Mick finally arrived at New York. He was greeted by Richard, one of Sue's press associates.

"New York City, Mr. Dundee. Home to 7 million people." Richard stated.

"That's incredible. Imagine 7 million people all wanting to live together. Yeah, New York must be the friendliest place on Earth." Mick replied, completely oblivious.

At some point, Mick was invited to dinner with Sue and Richard. Richard had been at the bar for a while and was already quite drunk. He became very self-centered, which irritated Mick. Enough to have him punch his lights out in the middle of the crowd. Sue returned to Richard's place, giving Mick a look of disdain. The cabbie, an Italian, invited Mick to the Horseshoe Bar. The patrons there were amused by Mick's ignorance of their slang. Eventually, the cabbie had to leave, quite intoxicated. As the cabbie looked for his car, Mick stood by on a sidewalk and met up with a couple of hookers.

He politely tipped his hat to them. "G'day, girls. Mick Dundee from Australia."

"Lookin' for a good time, Honey ?" One of them asked.

"I'm always looking for a good time." Mick answered, smiling. He began to approach them. "Are either of you ladies, um... attached or married ?"

One of them tried to hold her laughter while the other answered. "No. We're both single ladies. This is Carla, I'm Simone. Where you from ?"

Mick thought for a moment before answering. "I'm from Walkabout Creek, in the Northern Territory. You probably don't know where that is."

Suddenly, Carla seemed to recognize him. "Hey ! I do ! You're the guy I've been reading about in the paper ! The Crocodile Man !" Carla turned to Simone. "I've been reading about him in the paper. He's like a regular Tarzan. Fights with crocodiles, eats snakes." Carla approached Mick, smirking at him. "Is this your first trip to New York ?"

"First trip anywhere." Mick answered.

Suddenly, Simone got an idea. "Well hell, we might have to just give you one for free !" She suggested.

Carla just giggled at the suggestion.

Mick kept on showing absolute ignorance. "Yeah ! ... One what ?"

At that moment, Ahsoka spat out her water, choking and laughing at the same time. " _Oh Force ! Come on ! Can he really be_ _ **that**_ _ignorant ?!_ "

The two hookers just giggled some more. Their pimp came to see them, disrupting their little moment. "Hey, girls, girls. We workin' tonight or we socializin' ?" He asked rudely.

Mick addressed the pimp. "Hey pal ! I was talkin' to the ladies. And makin' a bit of progress." He nodded his head, motioning the pimp to blow off.

The pimp just looked at him. "You gonna talk with em' all night, my man ? Or screw one of them ?"

Mick pulled a fake smile at the pimp before knocking him out with a swift punch to the jaw. Suddenly, the Italian cabbie arrived, trying to drag Mick back into his car.

"Sorry about that." Mick apologized. "But if you hang out in front of here, you gonna hear that kind of bad language."

It was Lux's turn to spit out his water and laugh. "Goodness Gracious ! This is just... Aha ha ha !"

A while later, Mick was invited to a party with Sue. As they left the party, they were met with a group of young gangsters.

When the leader takes out a switchblade and threatens them, Mick takes out his bowie knife, slashes at the leaders shirt. Scared beyond belief, the gangsters run off. Mick, in his typical ignorance, writes it off as kids trying to have fun.

Eventually, there was a scene where Mick was invited to a dinner with many dignitaries of the press. Richard proposed to Sue on the spot. In shock, Sue initially said "Yes". This in turn, caused Dundee to venture out on his own. In the morning, Sue tracked him down to a subway station cramped with people. They relayed their messages through various people in the crowd. Sue admitted her feelings for Mick, saying she wouldn't marry Richard and loves Mick. The movie ended with the couple embracing in the subway station.

The audience cheered as the movie ended. Ahsoka and Lux were soon on their way out.

"Call me a "Sheila" and I'll shove a lightsaber through you." Ahsoka warned. "No, I'm kidding. I'd never hurt you. Where's our cab ?" She looked around.

They managed to get a ride back home. By the time they arrived, it was almost 11:30 pm. Kayla was asleep on the sofa. Ahsoka gently stirred her awake.

"Oh. Hey. How was the dinner and movie ?" Kayla whispered to them.

"We loved everything, Kayla. Thank you again for babysitting Mina. Hopefully she didn't give you too much trouble, right ?" Ahsoka winked at her.

"Other than having a cupcake and a rubber ducky tossed at me, no. It was pretty easy. Thank you Lux for discovering that Chopin puts her to sleep. Made it so much easier." Kayla winked back.

"You're welcome to babysit Mina anytime you wish, Kayla. We are thankful. You have yourself a good night of sleep. You've earned it." Lux whispered to her, slipping a 100 dollar bill in her hand.

The two gently opened the door to Mina's door. She was sleeping sound.

Ahsoka smiled at the sight. "She's our little angel, Lux. She'll make us proud. Wait until she begins with her education."

 **And another chapter gets completed. Over the next chapter, Ahsoka will be looking to purchase her very first car. Though she will need to pass a driving test first. How will that go ? We'll find out over the next chapter. Feel free to leave a review as usual.**


	6. The Bonteris have a car

**Saturday, September 27th**

Ahsoka stirred from her sleep. She turned to glance at the clock. 7:30 am. " _Oh Force ! Mina's probably up right now ! I should check on her._ " She quickly reached into the closet for her blue kimono and walked to Mina's room. She was still asleep. She made her way to the bathroom. After a quick shower, she walked to Mina's room. Her daughter was slowly getting up. Ahsoka reached into the crib and brought Mina, barely awake, to the living room. " _Gotta check that diaper, kiddo._ "

As she changed Mina's diaper, Lux was getting up, half-awake and lacking a bit of balance, an obvious sign of a hangover.

"M-morning." He said with a stutter.

"Good morning. How do you feel ? You know, interesting times are ahead of us... not only do I have to look into getting Mina registered at a daycare, but I also need to look into acquiring a vehicle of our own... How are your night courses coming along ?" She asked him while pouring a glass of water for him.

Lux accepts the glass and takes several sips. " Oh, thank you, dear. Truth be told, I've had better nights. I'm thinking that wine yesterday at the restaurant did a number on me. About the night courses, there's still a couple of months before I complete and graduate. It's taxing on the mind, to be honest. But once I do graduate, I'll be applying to Apple Computers immediately. Last I checked, the Head Computer Programmer position still hasn't been filled, so I've got a chance."

"The sooner you apply for that job, the sooner we can acquire complete financial security. I'll be getting back to work with Burt and Will as soon as Mina can be placed in a daycare center." She was looking forward to working with them again.

Their discussion was soon broken when Mina looked up to them. "Mommy ? I'm hungry."

Ahsoka looked down and smiled at her daughter. She took Mina and brought her over to her high chair. "Ok, Mina. Do you want some oatmeal ?" She asked her.

Mina nodded happily. "Uh huh. Apple oatmeal, Mommy. Please ?"

"Apple oatmeal it is." She reached into the cupboard and took out a sachet of said oatmeal and turned on the kettle. "While we wait for the water to boil, Mina, why don't we watch some cartoons ?" She brought Mina's high-chair near the television and turned it on. Going through several channels, she finally found one with cartoons playing. Wile E. Coyote was attempting for the umpteenth time to capture Road Runner so he could make a meal out of him. He had a rocket attached to his back. Road Runner stopped by, making his trademark "Meep ! Meep !" noise before running off. As Wile E. Coyote turned on the rocket, it blew up on him, leaving him black and smoking. Mina giggled as he failed again and again... and again.

Within a couple of minutes, the water was boiling. Ahsoka took a quick bite to see how hot it was before handing it to Mina. "Oh, it's hot all right. Mina, wait a bit before eating, ok ? It's too hot for you right now."

As she walked back into the kitchen, she turned on the radio and set it to her favorite station.

"Hello, everybody. Welcome to NYC-98.9, New York's finest rock station. I'm your host, Tim Savvy, and besides me is my co-host, Ed Thomas. Usually, I'd be wishing everyone listening a good morning... except that today is just _not_ a good morning."

"You're absolutely right, Tim. It's a sad day for metal fans everywhere. We've just received news that Metallica bassist Clifford Lee Burton has died in an accident involving their tour bus overturning near Kronoberg County during their European tour of Damage Inc., in Sweden. Circumstances of the accident are believed to be an icy road in which the tour bus driver completely lost control. Fortunately, the other members, guitarist/singer James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich and main guitarist Kirk Hammett have survived the accident with little injuries."

Ahsoka gasped at what she heard. While she wasn't the biggest fan of Metallica, she still respected them for what they did. " _Poor Cliff, he was only in his mid-20s. That's way too young to go out like that !_ "

"You know what, Ed ? This reminds me of a similar incident involving the early death of another talented guitarist : Randy Rhoads. When he was with Ozzy Osbourne, back in March 1982. Though he perished in a plane crash, he left us way, way too soon."

"Heck yeah, Tim. So... how can we honor him ?"

"By playing Orion from Clifford's last album with _Metallica_ , Master of Puppets. This is an instrumental piece, folks. The bass is very prominent. We're sad to see you go, Cliff. We hope that Randy Rhoads and Bon Scott from _AC/DC_ will keep you company up there in Heaven."

At first, the track slowly built up, it soon became pretty heavy with Hetfield and Hammett's thick shredding and Ulrich's constant drumming. Burton's bass sounded wonderful in the track. By the time the track was over, Ahsoka had shed a tear for Burton's untimely departure.

"Beautiful, outstanding track right there, Ed. Easily Burton's highlight in his short-lived career. He is forever immortalized in this piece of art. There, I said it. A piece of art."

"Right on, Tim. We hope our listeners agree with our choice for Burton's send-off. He will be missed. With that done, the show must go on. Why don't make a trip to Europe ? Denmark, in particular ?"

"Why Denmark, Ed ?"

"Simple, there is this recent band which released their first album back in February. With names like Michael Denner, Timi Hansen and King Diamond, does it ring a bell to you, Tim ?"

"Wait a sec ! Don't you mean _Mercyful Fate_ ? They're not exactly new..."

"Not Mercyful Fate, Tim. A brand new band formed by these guys. Guess what they call themselves now ?"

"I have no idea, Ed. It's really the first time I hear of this."

"All right. The new band name is... get ready for it... _King Diamond_!"

"Seriously ? Ok. So... what are they like ?"

"You know how King Diamond has an extensive vocal range ? He uses falsetto a lot. He sounds a lot like Rob Halford when he belts out his lyrics. Their first album, Fatal Portrait, is kind of like a Stephen King horror novel. It's very dark and gloomy. When King Diamond does his narration, his voice is guttural and downright creepy. Say we play its first song, The Candle ?"

"You got my attention, Ed. Let's do this !"

As the music began, Ahsoka felt a chill down her spine. It didn't sound like heavy metal at all...

Seven years have gone  
It can no longer be left undone  
The candle must burn again

And pain must follow the unholy flame  
So burn, burn, burn  
And free the spirit from its chain

Here I am blinded again by that flame  
In every candle that I burn, burn  
I see that same face return, it returns

Eyes in pain, my little queen, are you a dream?  
In every candle that I burn, burn  
I see that same face return, it returns

Time has come for you to tell the truth  
What shall I do? The tears are running from her eyes  
If she could only tell me why? You don't tell me why

The Jonah, the Jonah

With twisted key, she speaks a word to me  
And then I see her face falling apart  
The word Jonah is her mark, she's branded

Mina's attention had focused away from the cartoons and used her montrals to hear clearly. She wasn't used to such a creepy voice and the organ solo, but once the guitars kicked in, she felt comfortable. By the end of the song, both mother and daughter were taken aback by the piece. It came out of the left field completely. Both were smiling afterwards.

"Did you like that, Mina ?" Ahsoka asked.

"Wow, Mommy ! It was scary when it began, but it was fun after."

Lux shook his head. "Don't tell me. You'll be rushing for this album next time you stop at the music store, right ?"

Ahsoka nodded in response. "You bet I will ! That was awesome ! Definitely a band to follow along with Dio, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest." She made a mental note to look for the album next time she'd go shopping for music.

"Tim ? You all right, bud ?"

"I've gotta change my underwear, Ed ! The awesome factor made me soil myself in excitement. That was just... sick ! The sickest song I've heard in a good while ! Please excuse me !"

"Ha ha ha, that's our Tim ! While he's away changing his underwear, let's listen to one of the absolute classics of _Deep Purple_. You all know this one, folks. Smoke on the Water from the album Machine Head."

We all came out to Montreux  
On the Lake Geneva shoreline  
To make records with a mobile  
We didn't have much time  
Frank Zappa and the Mothers  
Were at the best place around  
But some stupid with a flare gun  
Burned the place to the ground  
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky  
Smoke on the water

They burned down the gambling house  
It died with an awful sound  
Funky Claude was running in and out  
Pulling kids out the ground  
When it all was over  
We had to find another place  
But Swiss time was running out  
It seemed that we would lose the race  
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky  
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

"Now that piece wasn't so bad. Definitely nowhere as loud as the previous one." Lux scratched his ears.

Ahsoka turned to Mina. "Oh ? You're done with breakfast ?" She put Mina down on the floor and placed the high chair by the dining table and placed Mina's bowl in the sink to wash later. Both radio and television were shut off.

"Whew ! It's nice to have a bit of silence once in a while." Lux commented.

"I need peace & quiet for now, Lux. I'm going to call a few daycare centers, figure out the best one for Mina. Can you please look after Mina while I do this ?"

"Of course, 'Soka. Come on, Mina. Why don't we go see Mr. Jim ?" Lux picked her up and went down to the lobby to have a friendly chat with their landlord.

Ahsoka dialed the first number. It rang a couple of time before getting an answer.

"Children of the Rainbow Daycare, Hello. This is Annette Atkins speaking. How may I help you today ?"

"Hello, Ms. Atkins. My name is Ahsoka Bonteri. I have a 1 year old daughter named Mina. I'm merely wondering if you're capable to take on another charge."

"Absolutely, Ms. Bonteri. You can bring her up on Monday morning. We're open from 6 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday."

"That's great. Where are you located ?"

"1542, Lexington Avenue. Right beside the Wendy's fast food joint. You can't miss it."

"Oh, I know where that is ! Perfect. So 6 am, Monday morning and you'll have my daughter in your care. Thank you for being so helpful."

"My pleasure, Miss. It's what I'm here for. Thanks for calling. Good bye."

She hung up and consulted the newspaper for used car announcements. But suddenly, something hit her. "What's the point of owning a car if I don't have a driver's licence ? Maybe I can find the address somewhere for those driving lessons." She searches further through the newspaper. "Aha ! There we go ! How about that ? It's not too far from the daycare. So I could accomplish all of these things on the same day."

 **Monday, September 29th**

At 6 am sharp, Ahsoka was knocking on the door of the daycare. The door opened, revealing a young woman with long black hair, wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

"You must be Ms. Bonteri. It's a pleasure to meet you at last. I like what you've done with your hair. Come on in." She motions Ahsoka to a room where other toddlers are gathered. "Matthew, Lisa, Derrik, Mark, Danny. This is Mina. She'll be your new playmate." Ahsoka kneels in front of Mina. "Now, Mina. Be good. Mommy will come to pick you up later, ok ?"

Mina looked at her mother, and begins to cry. "Mommy ! Waaahhh ! Don't leave me, Mommy !" She clung to her mother's leg, not wanting to be separated.

Ahsoka looked at Annette, giving her a "What do I do ?" look.

Annette quickly reached for a random toy, giving it to her. "Look, Mina. Look ! Isin't this is a nice toy ? Come on, come and play with the others."

Ahsoka hugs her. "Mina, I'm sorry. But I have to do this. I have other things that I need to do. I'll come to pick you up around dinner time. Be good, and maybe Mommy will have a treat for you later, ok ?"

Mina dries her tears. "Ok, Mommy. I'll be good." She released her grip from her mother.

After discussing payment with Annette, Ahsoka raced to the License Office to begin her driving lessons.

At first, she was offered a small booklet explaining the basic rules of driving. After having spent half an hour reading it, she was given a written test. After around 15 minutes, she was done. Her instructor graded her and was surprised that she had every answer right. "You're a smart one. Usually, a good majority fail their test at first. Do you feel ready to do the real driving test ?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir. I have a feeling I'll pass this with flying colors as well."

She was brought to the test car. She took the driving seat while her instructor sat beside her. "Ok, start it up." She turned on the key and the engine began to purr. "Since I'm a certified mechanic, I've done little tests such as the feeder and brakes, but I've never actually taken any of the vehicles I've worked on for a spin. So this is a new experience for me. Ok, hold on to your seatbelt. Here we go !"

The first few instances had her guessing how much weight to put to get moving. After a while, she felt comfortable and was making her way to a heavy traffic zone. "This ain't too bad." She was reminded of the many speeders and starfighters she piloted during the Clone Wars. She managed to get every single exercises done as per her instructor's requests. After about an hour of driving, she returned to the License Office. The instructor shook her hand.

"That had to be the smoothest ride I've had in a very long time. You are ready, Miss. We need to take a photo. Your driver's license will be ready in about 10 minutes."

Finally, she looked at the card. It included details such as her birth date, her place of residence, her nationality, her gender and so on. By the side, there was a small photo of her simply staring with an emotionless face.

"And another thing done !" She looked at her watch. 9:55 am. "Plenty of time to shop for our own vehicle."

She looked around several dealers. She stopped at a Mercedes dealer. She looked at the various cars available. She found one to her liking. An ocean blue 1984 Mercedes-Benz 190E. It was perfect for their needs. Not too bulky and had 4 passenger seats, 4 doors, a trunk large enough to carry a decent amount of luggage if they chose to go on a trip. She took the liberty to inspect the engine. Everything seemed in perfect working order. She looked at the price tag : 4000.00$

She counted her money as a salesman approached her. "Good morning, Miss. You seem to be quite taken by that car. It's an excellent model. Works really well. And the ride is smooth all the way. This, in my mind, is the perfect family vehicle."

"Hmm hmm. Yeah, I'm taking this car. Right now." She replied to him.

"Excellent, come on over to my office, we have several papers to fill, such as registration, insurance and so on..." He motioned her to his office.

After about 45 minutes of doing business with the salesman, Ahsoka finally owned her very first car. She found the ride to be very comfortable. She decided to stop by Lux's workplace to surprise him. "I can't wait to see his face. It'll be priceless."

She entered as Lux was finishing business with a client. "Well, this is a nice surprise ! How did Mina take to being left at the daycare ?"

"At first, she pulled a small tantrum. She soon changed her attitude when I promised she'd be given a treat _if_ she behaved." She explained.

"That's good to hear. Hopefully, she'll get into the habit. She'll develop important social skills by being with others of her age."

"So... do you have a moment ? I want to show you something." She grabbed his hand and dragged him outside.

"What is it ?" He looks around, confused.

She taps the hood of her car. "This is our car, Lux. Our days of walking for hours or calling taxis are over."

"By the Force, 'Soka ! Really ? You bought that ? But what about the driver's license ?"

"Already taken care of." She presents him her driver's license.

"Amazing ! You certainly didn't waste time getting things done. So I'll need to get my driver's license as well in time." He quickly rushed back inside as he heard Mr. Smith calling out to him.

"I'll come and get you at 5." She shouted before resuming her drive.

Over the afternoon, she drove around most of the city, seeing many sights they missed before. She even drove around Harlem and saw a bunch of kids playing basketball in a courtyard.

Around 4 pm, she stopped at the daycare to pick up Mina. Mina was definitely the center of attention, though not for her odd look, but rather she had a lot to talk about.

"My mommy likes loud music. She dances when it plays. She's a good mommy."

As Ahsoka entered the room where the toddlers hung out, Mina's face immediately lit up as she saw her. "Mommy ! Mommy !"

"So Mina, have you been a good girl ?" She kneels before her.

Mina nodded happily. "Uh huh. Everybody is nice here. I like this place, Mommy."

"I'm glad to hear that, Mina. You'll be here through the weekdays for maybe a year or two. Later on, you'll be taken to kindergarten, then pre-school... and finally school. You'll have a lot of fun. I'm sure of it."

"Are we going home, Mommy ?" Ahsoka picked her up.

"Yes, we are. And you'll be the first to ride in Mommy's new car !"

"Yay ! A ride ! A ride !" Mina hopped around in excitement.

Mina is put into the baby car seat at the rear. After being strapped with the seatbelt, they were on their way to Lux's workplace. After he was picked up, they arrived at their apartment. Ahsoka parked to their personal parking space. There was a sign with "Bonteri" written in big, bold letters.

 **Next chapter, Lux gets his new job. Review as always.**


	7. Lux is hired at Apple

**Friday, November 21st**

Lux was finishing what could very well be his last shift with Mr. Smith. After a quick dinner, he would be heading out to the university to take his final exam. The results would decide whether he stays where he currently is or he would be given an opportunity for a much better job. His mind had been made up ever since he began his course over 6 months ago.

Mr. Smith left his office to take over like he always did from 5 pm to 8 pm. "Well, Lux. This is it, huh ? Your big exam ? Best of luck to you. Let me know of the results as soon as you can so I can hire some new hand." He shook Lux's hand. "It's been a real joy working with you for a bit over two years. I can't thank you enough for all the hard work you've done. I have faith that the people at Apple will see your qualities and you should be hired on the spot."

"Thank you for everything, Mr. Smith. I enjoyed working with you. You've taught me a great deal of things : How to properly manage my time, most importantly. How to prioritize, how to budget, etc... I do hope the next employee you acquire will appreciate you as much as I have. Thank you again." With that, Lux stepped out of the shop and glanced happily as Ahsoka was waiting for him, with Mina tucked in the back seat.

"Last day, huh ?"

"Yes. I will miss him. He was a very good employer. I can only wish I'll be as appreciated over at Apple as I was here."

She stops at a red light. "I'm sure they'll see that you're quite capable. And besides, we will need to gain some serious money soon. Our stash we got around two years ago is already half-spent. And... we have another "issue"."

Lux is caught off guard as much by her comment as she suddenly drives forward. "Hold on. What do you mean by "another issue" ?"

"Apparently we've got another "bun in the oven"." She explains calmly.

Lux's eyes widen in shock as he catches on to her expression. "Wait... what ?! Again ? How did... I could've sworn..." He face palms. "That certainly adds unneeded stress on myself. When did you find out ?"

"This morning, actually. Just for the heck of it, I took a quick test of my own... and what do you know ? It's positive." She quickly parked at their designated spot. "One thing for sure, this apartment ain't cutting it anymore. We'll need to look for a house."

"That's one good incentive to give everything I've got on that exam if I ever heard one. What will we do for dinner ?" He asks as they run up the stairs with Mina in tow.

"We'll stick to something quick and easy. Does Mac & Cheese suit your fancy ?"

"Not the dinner I had in mind, but it will have to do. Besides, I need to be at the university for 6:30 pm. We might as well get to cooking." Ahsoka could feel he was more and more nervous.

"You need to calm down. Take a few breaths. You'll do fine. I'm sure of it. You've worked very hard over the past 6 months. There's no way you could flunk this. Not the way you've been preparing yourself for the past couple of weeks."

In a matter of minutes, their dinner was ready. Lux quickly ate his share and had gone over his books for one last time. Around 6 pm, he was taken to the university. She hugs him. "Good luck !"

From 6:30 to 9 pm, Lux wrote his exam and never lost his focus. He managed to find all the errors in the code and then tested it on a computer by his side. The program he was asked to created performed flawlessly. By the time he was done, he sat on a bench, waiting for his ride. "I'm sure I caught everything. The program did execute its functions as intended. When I get back home, I need to relax."

After a quick ride back home, the first thing Lux did was open himself a beer. Within minutes, he was able to relax a bit. "That was intense. But I'm confident I did well. I was able to recall a lot of my techniques for fixing scrambled code. Have you told Jim about the news ?"

"Yes, we have roughly a month to find ourselves a house. Apparently, he has a list of people waiting for an apartment to be available. Here's hoping you get that job before the end of the year." Ahsoka goes over to Mina's room, she relaxes a bit as she sees her sleeping soundly.

"The worst is likely over. On Monday morning, I'll be bringing my resume to Apple Computers at Wall Street. I heard that they waste no time if they see a good employee. Who knows, perhaps I'll get an interview and the job right on the spot."

"That certainly would be nice. On my side, I'll have to let Burt know that I won't be available in a matter of months. Do we still have some Folic Acid on hand ?" She goes and looks in the bathroom. "Not enough to last me until my nausea passes. So I'll need to make a quick trip at the drugstore tomorrow."

"Are you absolutely sure that you're pregnant ? Maybe you could have a more detailed test at the hospital ?" He suggests.

"Yeah, I'll do that after Burt knows the news. I can't imagine that he'll be glad to hear this... It's not like we planned for a second child so soon." She sits next to him, pouring herself a glass of water. "Well, seems I'll be avoiding alcohol for the next 9 months. Yippee." She rolls her eyes in annoyance.

"Well, we want a healthy baby, don't we ? I know what could cheer you up. You have to avoid alcohol, but on the flipside, you can scarf down all the ice cream you'd want." He says with a goofy grin.

"That is something to look forward to, Lux. Thanks for cheering me up. It's late, why don't we "hit the sack" ?"

"I second that motion, 'Soka." With his exam finished, Lux was able to sleep peacefully, for which he hadn't done in a while.

 **Saturday, November 22nd**

While Ahsoka was gone at the drugstore, Lux was looking after Mina. He simply played with her by tossing a soft ball to her and she would toss it back. "You're getting better at this game, Mina. I'm guessing you play it a lot at the daycare, huh ?"

She nods happily. "Yeah, daddy. We always play this game. It's fun."

Suddenly the phone rings. "Mina, hold on a bit while daddy takes the call, ok ?" He gets up and answers. "Hello ? Oh, yes. Mr. Harriman. Yes. You have the results ? Already ? Uh huh. REALLY ?! No kidding ! Thank you so much for calling ! You have yourself a great weekend as well ! Thanks again. Bye." Lux runs up and holds Mina in his arms. "Mina, do you know what daddy did ?"

"No." She shakes her head.

"Daddy didn't only passed his exam yesterday. He got every single part right ! Ha ha ha ! We're going to be all right, Mina ! Daddy will be getting a better job soon."

Ahsoka entered with a small paper bag. "You sure look happy. Good news ?"

"Good news ? No, no. Not good news, 'Soka ! Great news ! I passed the exam with flying colors ! I got everything right ! This will look terrific on my resume." He reaches out to her gives a tight hug. "I'm confident our financial issues are over. I have a feeling I'll have that job right off the bat !"

She returns the embrace. "Congrats, love ! I told you so. See ? You always tend to worry yourself for nothing ! I'm very happy to hear that. I'll start to look for an affordable house."

 **Monday, November 24th**

The first thing the couple did was leaving Mina at the daycare. She was always excited to play with her friends there. Afterwards, Lux was dropped off by the entrance of Apple Computers' New York headquarters. He was determined to make a good impression. His attire was simple, yet professional. A black suit with a white collared shirt and a gray necktie. He had his resume in a yellow envelope. He soon made his way to the secretary at the entrance.

"Good morning." He greets.

"Good morning, young man. How can I help you ?"

"I came to apply for the position of Head Computer Programmer. As you can see, I have my resume on hand." He nervously holds the envelope.

"You're in luck ! Our CEO, Steve Jobs, is visiting here today. You might have a chance to meet with him. Let me call Human Resources." She dials a number. "Charlie ? I've got a good looking young man here. He wishes to apply for the Head Computer Programmer position. Send him up ? You got it !" The secretary hangs up the phone and looks to Lux. "Ok, take the elevator on your right, go to the 5th floor. It's the 3rd office on your left, you can't miss it." She explains.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Lux mumbles, bows politely before making his way to the elevator. He soon finds the office in question and knocks on the door. " _All right, Bonteri. Don't screw this up. Answer as best as you can. Be polite. Sell your salad._ "

"Come on in !"

Lux sees three gentlemen sat around a table, drinking coffee and going over reports of some kind.

"Good morning, all of you. My name in Lux Bonteri. Thank you for taking a bit of your busy time for having me here today." He offers each of the men a hearty handshake.

"Good morning, Mr. Bonteri. I'm Charlie MacAdams, I'm the head of Human Resources. These two men with me are none other than Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, two of the people responsible for creating Apple Computers."

Lux sat down with them and began to talk about his experiences, often citing a situation in which an action would be useful for his position. By the time Lux was done, Jobs spoke up. "It's a rare sight to see anyone figuring out bad code right on the first attempt. And that program wasn't exactly simple. This tells me that you've got a good head on your shoulders. Welcome to our little "family", Mr. Bonteri. You're hired. Congratulations !"

" _Oh my Force ! Oh my Force ! I got the job ! I got the job ! Woohoo !_ " Lux couldn't believe how things were steadily falling into place. "Thank you all for your offer. Aside my wedding and the birth of our first child, this has to be the greatest moment in my life. Thank you so much."

Mr. MacAdams patted Lux on the shoulder. "You start next week, ok ? We'll go over details such as hours of work, your workload, your salary when you begin next week. Be here next Monday at 9 am."

"I wouldn't dream of being late. Please excuse me. I should tell my wife of these news. May I ?" He points to a phone on a nearby desk.

"Oh, by all means. Thank you again for offering your services to us. I'm sure we'll get along just fine. We have a meeting elsewhere, so we'll let you announce the news to your wife in private. Take care." With that, the three interviewers left off.

Lux dialed Ahsoka's work number. He was so nervous and so happy that his hands were sweating continuously.

"Blank's Automobile Repairs. Burt speaking."

"H-hello Mr. Blank. It's Lux. May I speak to A-Ahsoka, p-please ?"

"Give me a moment. I'll see if she's free." Some minutes pass.

"Hello ? Lux ?"

"Ahsoka. How a-are you ?"

"Kinda busy right now. What is it ? There's a client waiting and he's not the most patient person. Make it quick, please."

"Ok, ok. Listen. I. Got. The. Job."

"Oh Force ! REALLY ?! T-that's fantastic ! We'll talk later. I'll pick you up around noon for lunch, ok ? Love you ! Bye !"

Lux hangs up and can't help from grinning. " _I have a feeling I'll have something extra special._ "

He looked at his watch. 11:10 am. He still had 50 minutes to kill. He stared at the view of the city from the large window. Despite being late November, the first snowfall still hadn't occurred. It was slightly chilly, but nothing too bad. He began to daydream about his future. He saw himself with his family, enjoying what Life has to offer. He saw his children, grown up, successful and settled with husbands or wives of their own. He would try to imagine his grandchildren. But most of all, he saw himself and Ahsoka sharing a tender moment together, by the beach at some exotic location, enjoying an extravagant dinner. He saw themselves appreciating how Life treated them since they crash-landed.

Around 11:50 am, Lux made his way back to the lobby and looked outside. Ahsoka was waiting for him. He quickly got into the passenger seat, unable to contain his joy. He promptly kissed her for a brief moment. "We must be the luckiest couple of this planet, 'Soka. No matter what obstacles are thrown at us, we always manage to succeed in our goals."

"About as good as it gets, huh ? What are you in the mood for ? Burgers, a simple Hot Dog, Chinese Buffet, Seafood... or something else ?"

"When do you have to get back to work ?"

"Oh, I won't be going back for the afternoon. As I expected, Burt wasn't pleased at the possibility of me being pregnant _again_. So he insisted I take a real pregnancy test to confirm my suspicions."

"Well then, since there's no current rush, I am feeling adventurous. I definitely want to celebrate this personal victory with you. There's a new Japanese restaurant that offers Sushi in particular. They opened not too long ago. Would you be willing to try it out ?"

She stops at a red light. "Sushi ? You mean raw fish ? Ick. No thanks."

"There's more to it than raw fish, they have fried seafood and grilled meats if sushi itself doesn't appeal to you."

As she resumes her driving, she thinks for a moment. "Fried seafood and grilled meats ? I guess I could go for that. So where is that restaurant located ?"

"At Times Square, not too far from Paul's Music Shop." He explains.

As they reached Times Square, they managed to find a parking spot. They walked to the Sushi bar in question. It was called "Hokkaido's Sushi Bar & Grill".

They were soon greeted by the waiter as they entered. "Konnichiwa, hajimemashite." He exclaimed as he bowed politely.

Lux had no idea what the man said. "Excuse me ?"

"Oh. Sorry. Sorry. I said "Hello, how are you ?" in Japanese.

Now it was Ahsoka's turn to look dumbfounded. "Oh. Right. Thank you for greeting us so politely, sir."

The waiter guided them to a table. "Please, sit. I will bring the menu."

Lux could not have imagined the variation in Japanese cuisine. "Look at these... Sushi with Urchin roe (eggs), Fried Octopus, Yakitori Grilled Chicken, Udon Noodles, Shrimp Rice Bowl, etc... By the Force, my adventurous tastes may be challenged at this point. What do I pick ?"

Ahsoka turned to him. "You take whatever you want, but I'm going for that grilled chicken. At least, I know what to expect with that."

"I won't know unless I try... Ok, my mind is made up. I'm taking... the Fried Octopus !"

Ahsoka gagged. "If you don't like it, guess what ? You'll be stuck with it. I am NOT touching that."

The waiter took their order. He brought a glass of water to Ahsoka and brought a cup of hot Sake to Lux. At first, Lux smelled the drink. "I've heard a bit about this drink. Basically, it's a wine-like beverage made with fermented rice. Let's see here..." He takes a sip. "Ooh ! Hot Hot Hot ! And... tastes... bland. What a disappointment."

Their lunch was served. To Lux's surprise, the octopus was quite small. He took a bite from one of its tentacles. He struggled to chew. "This is like rubber. How do people eat these ? Ugh." He forced himself to eat at least 4 tentacles. And with the Sake, Lux soon got his buzz. "This octopus is terrible, but at least the Sake is kind of good." His speech became slurry.

Ahsoka's Yakitori chicken wasn't bad at all. It reminded her of a typical Shish-Kebab. She had no trouble finishing her lunch. By the time they were done, Ahsoka had to hold Lux as he had a bit of trouble keeping his balance. "Guess that Sake nailed you pretty good, huh ?"

"It *hic* seems that *hic* way." He hiccupped every few moments. " _Great ! Lux got himself drunk ! Now I have to deal with him. I'll drop him off at home so he can snooze it off while I get my pregnancy test done and pick up Mina from the daycare later._ "

As she struggled with him up the stairs, his breath reeked of alcohol. It was _almost_ enough to get Ahsoka nauseous. He quickly fell asleep in his drunkenness. She locked the apartment on her way out and rushed towards Manhattan General Hospital. As she entered, she noticed a load of people waiting in line. " _Oh Force ! This will take forever before I have my turn. Is that Dr. Roscoe ? Yes, maybe I can bypass all those people by getting the test done elsewhere._ "

She called out to the woman. "Excuse me ? Dr. Roscoe ?"

Dr. Roscoe turns to her. "Yes ? Oh... Ms. Bonteri, was it ? Can I help you ?"

"I'm hoping that you can. I have a sneaky suspicion that I might be pregnant... again."

"Come over to my office. This shouldn't take long." She motions Ahsoka to an office far off from the group of people waiting in line.

About 15 minutes later, a result was given. "Positive, without a doubt, Miss. Maybe this time you'll have a boy."

"Wouldn't that be nice. I don't know how to thank you. You've saved me several hours of waiting."

"My pleasure, Miss. Have a nice day."

As Ahsoka started her car, she checked the time. 2:30 pm. " _An hour and a half to go before I can pick up Mina. Might as well stop at the garage._ "

As she stopped at the garage, she noticed that Will was having trouble with a motor. "Hey, Ahsoka ! Care to give a friend a hand ?"

"Will, for you, anything ! What's up ?" She took a look herself.

"I dunno. It ain't workin' fer all I know." He scratched the back of his head with his cap.

"Ah ! I see it ! Classic mistake, Will. See those wires ? You've connected them wrong. Let's try it the other way." She hooks up the wires in the correct fashion. "Ok. Rev it up." Will turned the key and the engine purred. "Huh ? I was so stressed out, I didn't even notice that mistake on my part."

"You're welcome." She made her way to Burt's office.

"So... what's the verdict ?" He asks.

"Another one on the way, I'm afraid. We didn't exactly planned this one, but it happened regardless. You'll soon need that replacement again."

"At least now, there aren't any surprises. And you'll be taking those vitamins soon enough."

She nodded. "Of course, sir. How is Travis, by the way ?"

"Travis ? Heh. He's bouncing around, running around, spouting nonsense. He's a little clown right now. I'm guessing your girl is doing fine as well ?"

"Yeah, Mina is doing great. I'm so relieved that she enjoys daycare. Speaking of which, I should head there now. See you tomorrow, Burt."

He waved to her. "Laters."

She arrived half an hour early. She was pleased to see that all children were getting along so well. She would soon head back home with her daughter. Hopefully, Lux would have recovered from his adventure with Sake.

 **So Lux has managed to land a prestigious job at Apple. In a matter of time, he'll be climbing the ranks. A big thank you to Guest who noticed my ounce/pound error with Mina.** **It's fixed now. Feel free to review.**


	8. The Bonteris move to a new home

**Monday, December 1st**

After Lux was dropped off at work, Ahsoka quickly raced to her appointment with the real estate agent.

As she entered his office, she noticed how clean and tidy it was. Various degrees laid around his back wall. She then glanced at the man in front of her. Harold Seward, his name was. Somewhere in his '50s. Very dignified and professional to the letter.

"You must be Ms. Bonteri." He began. "Please, have a seat." He motioned her to the chair. He cleared his throat. "So you're looking for a house large enough to raise a small family ? You have contacted me at the best possible moment. I have a listing in Midtown which will surely meet your needs. And to make it even more enticing, it's not too far from an Elementary School where my own children began their education."

She nodded in agreement. "That does sound good. How much would it be ?"

Mr. Seward looked at his listing. "75 000.00$"

"That doesn't sound too bad. I'm sure it can be paid in a certain amount of years."

Mr. Seward chuckled. "You certainly don't have 75 grand on you currently, that's for sure. Let's head out to the property in question. I'll give you a tour. If you like what you see, I'll give you a hand for applying for a mortgage loan. I'm assuming you do have a bank account ?"

"Yes, myself & my husband created one after he got his job at Apple." She answered.

"Your husband is working at Apple ? Wow ! That will definitely increase your finances in no time flat. Shall we ?" He motioned her to follow him as he grabbed his winter coat on the way out.

After about 15 minutes of driving through heavy traffic, they arrived at the house in question. "Here we are ! Let me warn you, there is some fixing to be done, but it is very spacious." He unlocked the door and ushered her inside.

As she entered, the first thing she noticed was a broken wall. Someone must have punched through in rage. Nothing major, but it would need to be fixed.

"Over here, we have the living room. As you can see, it's quite large. More than enough room for several sofas, a television set, a reclining chair, even a table to place hors d'oeuvres before a big dinner." He explained to her as they entered the first major area of the house.

"I have to say, Mr. Seward, I really like what I see so far. Now I can't wait to see the kitchen and dining area." Ahsoka looked around, still wearing her winter coat.

He brought her to another part of the house. "This is the dining area. Plenty of room to entertain at least a dozen of guests. The previous owners of this house not only left the fridge and freezer, but there is also a washing and drying machine in one of the 3 bathrooms."

"3 bathrooms ?! And we have our own washer and dryer ? This is getting better and better as we go." She couldn't be more pleased at the moment.

He nodded. "Let's go upstairs, shall we ?"

As Ahsoka arrived at the top of the stairs, she noticed some discoloration on the walls. They would need to be repainted.

"Right over there is the master bedroom, a couple of normal bedrooms on the side, and we have a bathroom here with a bathtub and shower. This bathroom also connects to the master bedroom, as you see with this door here." He showed her.

"I have to say, I'm very impressed. Is there also a basement ?" She asked while going back down the stairs.

He turned to her. "No basement, Miss. It's these two floors only. So, are we interested ?"

"Definitely ! Do you have a phone ? I'd like to talk it over with my husband first."

He hands over a bulky portable phone. "By all means, talk it out. I'll be waiting in the dining area."

She dialed Lux's office number. It rang for a few times before he answered. "Apple Computers Programming Division. Lux Bonteri speaking."

"Lux, it's me ! Listen, I've just visited a really nice house in Midtown. It has plenty of room for our growing family. There are 3 bathrooms. One of them has a washer and dryer. They're asking 75 000.00$ for it. If you want, we could visit it later tonight and bring Mina along ?"

"That ain't as bad as I thought it would be. It sounds like a good deal. No need to risk losing that house to another prospective client. I say go for it. I trust your judgement."

"If you say so. Regardless, you need to see it. It's going to be great. Ok, I'll finish the transaction with the real estate agent. I'll see you later tonight. Love you !" She hung up and walked back to the dining area, where Mr. Seward was waiting.

He looked up to her as she approached him. "So, how did it go ?" He asked.

"We're taking it, Mr. Seward. Thanks for giving me the tour. It really is nice, despite some minimal flaws. It'll be like Home in no time."

"Ok, now we'll get that mortgage loan I talked about earlier. Take me to your bank. I'll follow."

The following couple of hours were spent arranging and filling up all the necessary paperwork in order to obtain the loan and to gain ownership of the house. It was a lot more work than she had anticipated. Around noon, she was finally done.

Ahsoka wiped the sweat from her forehead. " _Whew ! That was some exercise. At least it's over with and we can begin to pay the house on a monthly basis. With Lux's impressive paychecks, it shouldn't take us too long to repay that loan._ "

She felt her stomach grumbling. " _I need a quick bite. I'm not in the mood to cook myself something right now. While I'm on the road, might as well grab something from a fast food joint. Which to choose ? Decisions, decisions._ "

She thought about her choice for a few moments. " _Burger King ? Why not ? Not the best option, but it'll do, just this once. And I guess I could surprise Lux. Here's hoping I can catch him before he gets himself something for lunch._ "

She ended up taking a Whopper (sans veggies) value meal for herself and took an unaltered Whopper combo for Lux. About 10 minutes worth of driving, she quickly entered Apple's New York headquarters. She made a quick stop at the secretary. "Hello, I'm looking for Mr. Lux Bonteri. I'm his wife. Can you tell me where his office would be located, please ?"

"On the 5th floor, first door on your right. You can't miss him."

"Thanks. Gotta get moving before this food gets cold." She hurried and quickly pressed the button on the elevator. Within a minute, she was on the fifth floor and almost ran into Lux as he was heading out for lunch.

"'Soka ? What a nice surprise ! I certainly wasn't expecting you. And you've brought lunch ? We might as well eat up in my office, come on in." He carried the soft drinks as he brought her inside his office. Not a very large office, just a desk with a computer, with loads of papers littered on his desk. Ahsoka's headtails darkened when she noticed there was a picture of her and one of Mina surrounding his computer. Last but not least, Lux was treated with a nice view of the city as he had a large window at the corner of his office.

"How are you faring so far ?" She asked between bites.

"I'm still learning all the directives and how to proceed with everything, but I have to say that it's a very pleasant atmosphere. Everyone is very cooperative with each other. These people really have the team spirit. I take it that you've bought the house ?"

"Technically, Lux, it ain't bought yet. I've had to do a mortgage loan since we don't have the finances to buy it right off the bat. We have a set monthly amount in order to repay the loan : 1000.00$. With your new job, that shouldn't be too much of a hassle, right ?"

Lux couldn't keep himself from grinning. "Would you believe that I now make a grand per week ?"

She let out a muffled gasp, covering her mouth. "A grand a week ? Seriously ?! That's fantastic ! We'll soon be debt-free !"

"Without a doubt. I'll be done at 5. Feel free to bring Mina along when we head out to see our new house. Thanks again for bringing me lunch, by the way. It saved me from running around the small restaurants around the building. You know how often I have trouble making up my mind concerning food."

She finished the last slurp of her soft drink. "I have to get to work now, I was asked to be at the garage around 1 pm, have a great afternoon." She quickly kissed him before heading out to work.

At 4 pm, Ahsoka stopped at the daycare to pick up Mina. Like always, her daughter was always excited to see her mother.

"Hello, Mina. Did you have fun today ?" She picked her up.

"Uh huh. We played hide and seek. It was real fun." Mina answered.

"Well, Mina. Here's what we're going to do : we're going to pick up Daddy like we always do. And then..." Ahsoka trailed off.

Mina showed much curiosity. "Then what, Mommy ?"

"It's a surprise, Mina. You'll see. Ok. It's time to bundle you up for the ride. Where are your coat and mittens ?"

Mina pointed to the closet where all the children's outdoor clothing was gathered. "Up there, Mommy. The pink one."

After Mina was bundled up and strapped to the car seat in the rear, she was off again to Lux's workplace. As she was making her way through heavy traffic, the chaos only worsened as blaring sirens were heard. "What's making that noise, Mommy ?"

"It's an ambulance ! They're heading this way. Hold on, Mina. We're going to pull over to the side so we can let them pass." She managed to find a spot between two cars in a long line of parked cars.

Mina covered her montrals as the wail of the sirens became increasingly louder as the ambulance rushed past them.

"Why are they going so fast, Mommy ?"

"Someone got hurt, Mina. Ok, looks like we're clear." She resumed her driving.

Several minutes later, she arrived at Apple. Lux was waiting by the doors inside.

"I'm guessing traffic must be hectic as usual. So, are we all ready to see our new home ?" Lux turned to Mina and waved at her.

Mina just looked at her parents in complete confusion. She had no clue what they were talking about.

As Ahsoka began to travel towards Midtown, she explained as plainly as possible to her. "Mina, we won't be staying at Mr. Jim's building for very long."

Mina raised an eye marking. "Why, Mommy ?"

Lux cleared his throat. "Mina, we need more room. You won't be on your own for long."

Mina blinked a few times. "Huh ? Mommy... what is Daddy talking about ?"

"You're going to have a little brother or a little sister soon." She explained.

"Oh boy ! It's gonna be like Lisa and Mark. They have the same mommy."

"Yeah, kinda like that, Mina. You'll have someone to play with when we'll be busy with chores."

"Yay !" Mina shouted in sheer joy.

Ahsoka and Lux couldn't help but chuckle at Mina's enthusiasm for her future brother or sister.

They stopped in front of a nice looking house. "Ok, everyone. We're here." Ahsoka picked up Mina and was the first to enter. As Lux entered, he was really surprised at how spacious the rooms were.

"Wow ! When you told me over the phone that there is a good sized living room and dining area, you weren't kidding ! I can tell I'll enjoy it here ! I can already see myself laying on the couch and listening to Bach or Beethoven. Speaking of which, we'll need some basic furniture to start us off."

Ahsoka noted all the basic furniture items they'd need to be able to live comfortably at first. "Yep. This is where that remaining 25 000.00$ from the Reynolds' stash will come in handy. So we could get ourselves a king-sized bed. Mina could have a small one as we'll use the crib later on for our new baby. We could have at least one sofa to start us off. A couple of tables. I guess I could use a shelf of sorts to place the tarantulas while keeping them away from sunlight."

"Definitely a lot to consider, 'Soka. Shall we go see what's upstairs ?" Lux pointed to the staircase.

She lead Lux and Mina to the rooms. "Over here, is the master bedroom. Mina, your room will be the one on the left. Your future brother or sister will have the one on the right."

She then showed them the room where the washer and dryer were. All in all, it was the best they could get. Over the week, they purchased new furniture and moved any items that weren't part of the original McCoy apartment to their new home. By Friday, they had moved completely to their new house. On Thursday evening, Ahsoka had stayed behind to give the apartment a good cleaning.

 **Saturday, December 6th**

Lux stirred from his sleep and glanced at the clock. 9:30 am. As he rose up, he noticed that Ahsoka wasn't at his side. Given the time, she was likely downstairs in the kitchen making breakfast. As Lux descended the stairs, he caught on to the familiar sounds of the television. Mina's high chair was set near the television and was caught up in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Elmer Fudd was attempting to catch Bugs for the umpteenth time, but the rabbit easily outsmarted the hunter.

"Good morning, Mina. You're watching Bugs Bunny, huh ? He's quite clever for a rabbit, right ?"

Mina nodded. "Hello, Daddy. Yeah, I like him. He's so funny. He he he !"

He made his way to the kitchen. "Good morning, 'Soka. What are you making ?"

She turned to him, her hands deep in the flour container. "Morning, love. I'm making pancakes. Can you take out the maple syrup, please ?"

Lux reached in the fridge and placed it on the counter. "Anything else ?"

"I'm good for now, Lux. The water just boiled. Feel free to make yourself a cup of coffee." She motioned to his usual cup, in front of him in plain sight.

"Don't mind if I do. Thank you for getting the water ready before I woke up."

She glanced at him, noticing how tired he looked. "You've worked very hard over the week. Everyday after work, you moved a lot of items from our former apartment and you've installed all the new furniture as well. You deserve a break. Tonight, we are having our housewarming party. I've invited Burt, Linda, Will, Kayla and I think even Jim will come over for a bit. We're not going to make anything elaborate. Just some simple snacks like cheese and crackers, chips and some assorted cold meats. For drinks, we've got more than enough beer or wine for those who want that. Have you seen the new space I've arranged for a mini-bar ?" She pointed to a small sliding window in the cupboard.

Lux took a look at what the mini-bar contained. "Let's see here... Beefeater London Dry Gin, Bacardi Carta Blanca White Rum, Johnnie Walker Red Label Blended Scotch Whiskey, Smirnoff Vodka, Courvoisier Cognac, Grand Marnier, Frangelico, Baileys Irish Cream, Martini Dry Vermouth. Wow ! You've certainly filled it up good, 'Soka. Are you sure you'll be able to resist the temptation during the remainder of your pregnancy ?"

She cleared her throat and crossed her arms in front of her chest, giving him an angry glare. "I've done it before, Lux. I can do it again, thank you very much. Reason why I bought all of those, we're bound to have some people whom are picky with their choice of drinks, so why not have a little bit of everything, right ?"

Lux nodded. "Indeed. And after our second child is born, we can try a variety of drinks over the weekends. Though, it'll be even more interesting when our children will be able to share these with us."

"Mina still has 20 years to go, Lux. It's important that we give the right image to her. Sure, we can have a drink or two. But getting drunk is nothing short of stupid and irresponsible, so we'll be respecting our limits. I doubt any of our guests will go overboard tonight. All but Kayla have a vehicle of their own, so they'll likely be extra careful with their drinking.

Over the afternoon, Ahsoka prepared the snacks for the evening. She even made her own garlic and cheese dip to accompany the chips. Around 6 pm, the visitors arrived. To Ahsoka and Lux's surprise, Burt and Linda brought Travis along with them. It didn't take very long for Travis and Mina to become acquainted with each other. Mina showed him her dolls and eventually she found herself playing with his toy cars with him.

"What can I serve you guys ?" Lux offered.

Burt was the first to respond. "I could go for a Gin & Tonic."

Linda nodded. "A Scotch on the Rocks for me."

Ahsoka glanced at Will. "Will, can I get you anything ?"

"Oh yeah, just a beer will be fine." Will pointed at a Miller from the fridge.

Jim seemed to hesitate for a moment. "Oh, I'll have a Rum & Coke. Haven't had one of those in a good while."

Kayla looked at the available liqueurs. "I'll take a Baileys on the Rocks, darling."

As Lux poured Jim's drink, he made himself one as well. "I have yet to try this myself, Jim. I hear it's pretty good though."

Kayla glanced at Ahsoka. "What about you, darling ? Aren't you taking anything ?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "I can't. Not with my second child in the works. So I'm just taking a glass of plain water."

"Oh, that's right. You told me. Are you hoping for a boy or another girl ?" Kayla probed.

"I'd like a boy. But if it's another girl, I won't be disappointed either."

By the end of the evening, the guests had left. As they had hoped, none got severely intoxicated. It was time to put Mina to bed. Ahsoka picked her up and brought her to her crib. "So, did you have fun playing with Travis ?"

Mina nodded happily. "Yeah, Mommy. I can't wait to play with him again. He was real nice."

"I have a feeling you'll see him more often as you get older. I predict you'll become best friends... and maybe more." She winked at her daughter.

"What do you mean, Mommy ?" Mina looks at her mother, obviously not understanding her choice of words.

"You'll understand when you'll be older. Now go to sleep, you've played a great deal today."

Soon, Mina fell asleep. Ahsoka soon joined Lux in the master bedroom.

"I have to say, 'Soka, that the housewarming party was a success. We all had fun without getting wasted. I think that's how we should proceed for further gatherings."

"You're right, Lux. It went really well. I'm also glad to see how Mina connected so easily with Travis. Mark my words, Lux. These two will end up together in life."

Lux chuckled. "I wouldn't mind. Burt is really a genuinely decent person once you get to know him. His gruff appearance hides his knowhow and goodwill. No doubt Travis will inherit those fine qualities."

"I'm also relieved that our move from the apartment to this new house went as smoothly as it did. Everything is fitting into place. Now I can't wait to see what our future child will be. Will he/she inherit my lekku and montrals like Mina ? Wouldn't that be something ?"

"No matter what anyone else say, I think your lekku and montrals are beautiful. I can't wait to see Mina in her teenage years. No doubt she'll look exactly like you when we first met."

"You're sweet, Lux. Thank you." She kissed him briefly before nodding off to sleep.

 **The way things are going now, they're clear of problems for life. Next chapter, Daniel will be born. Please feel free to review.**


	9. Daniel John Bonteri is born

**Sunday, December 21st**

It was in the middle of the night. Lux was sleeping soundly. Ahsoka, on the other hand, was tossing and turning in her sleep.

She saw herself running into a deserted alley. Then she saw him. Anakin Skywalker. Looking none too pleased.

"Ahsoka ? Why did you leave ? Where were you... **when I needed you the most ?!** "

"Anakin ?" She looked on with confusion in her eyes. "I had made my choice. I had thought you agreed in some way. You seemed supportive of me and Lux and..."

Suddenly, Anakin's frown deepened. "Shut up ! What did Bonteri have that I couldn't offer ?! Don't you remember your mandate ? You were supposed to protect me... to ensure that I would accomplish my goal. Fulfill the prophecy of The Chosen One. But you fled before that could occur. You **abandoned** me ! You **failed** me ! IT'S **YOUR FAULT** THAT I TURNED ! **YOUR FAULT** THAT THE JEDI ORDER WAS DESTROYED ! **YOUR FAULT** THAT THE GALAXY IS UNDER THE RULE OF PALPATINE NOW !"

"No ! Lux cares for me in a way you could never have ! Don't you DARE put all that blame on my shoulders ! You LET YOURSELF be manipulated by the Sith Lord ! I had **NOTHING** to do with it !" Tears were streaming down her eyes now.

Suddenly, Anakin's form changed to Vader. His mechanical breathing sent chills down her spine. "And now, my failed apprentice, you will pay for your treachery !" He held her in a Force Choke hold and ignited his lightsaber. He soon plunged it straight through her heart.

" **NO !** "

She rose up, startled from her nightmare. Breathing heavily, very alarmed. She sobbed silently as Lux woke up.

"'Soka ? What... what happened ?"

"L-Lux ? I had a bad dream. It was terrible. Anakin blamed me for his fall. He blamed me for the Order's extinction and the current fate of our galaxy. I... No ! I had nothing to do with his fall... He was so angry at me !" She cried on his shoulder.

Lux did what he felt was best. Hold her in a hug and caress her rear lek to soothe her. "It's ok. It's ok. It was only a bad dream. You'll be fine. You made your choice. The _right_ choice. If you had stayed in the Order, the clones or Anakin would have killed you. Look where we are now. We couldn't ask for a better life. Mina couldn't ask for better parents. It's going to be all right." He soothed.

"I've never felt safer in your arms, Lux. You've always given yourself to protect me from trouble since our adventures on Arda. _Thank you_." She dried some of her tears and soon fell asleep.

Later on, in the morning, they went about their typical routine. Changing Mina's diapers if needed. Herself taking her folic acid after having thrown up. Lux making himself breakfast and coffee. Her nightmare was a distant memory now.

"This one was likely conceived in early November. So we'd expect him/her around July at the latest." She explained.

Lux nodded. "I feel that we've done great with Mina. So a second child shouldn't be too much of an issue. Look at her. Almost 13 months old and already talking and walking like a pro. I think she certainly inherited our smarts, 'Soka."

Ahsoka looked around for her daughter. "Mina, where are you ?"

"In the living room, Mommy. Chewbacca looks sick." This prompted her to have a quick look. As she expected, the curlyhair was on its back, slowly moving its limbs prior to the molt.

"She is not sick, Mina. She is just about to grow bigger. Oh my Force ! She's pulling herself out of her old skin. Lux ! Get over here, you need to see this !" Ahsoka called.

Lux walked in, coffee mug in hand. "Now that is amazing ! Incredible what Nature is capable of. It's the first time she does this, right ?"

"As far as I know, it's the second time she does this with us, Lux. She did so when I was at the hospital giving birth to Mina. When she'll be done hardening, she'll be about the same size as Bertha."

Mina looked on with curious eyes. "Wow, Mommy ! She looks like Daddy when he wakes up. Hair all messed up ! Hee Hee Hee !"

Ahsoka nodded. "Yeah, Mina. Kind of like a perpetual bad hair day. But we don't have that problem with our lekku and montrals. We save on shampoo, so that's good, right ?"

Mina nodded happily. "Uh huh. When will mine be long like yours, Mommy ?"

"They'll start to grow when you'll be around 13. The growth on mine lasted a good decade at most." She explained.

 **Wednesday, December 24th**

Around 7 pm, the three were enjoying a fuss-free dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. Of course, Mina had sauce all over her face. She didn't care. She enjoyed pasta.

Ahsoka soon rose from her chair. "Ok, Mina. I'm going to clean your face. There we go. Good as new. Do you want a chocolate chip cookie and a nice glass of milk ?"

"Yay ! Cookies !" Mina shouted in excitement.

Lux chuckled at her behaviour. "She gets excited about the smallest things. How will she react when..." Ahsoka soon raised a hand to quiet him.

"Don't ruin the surprise, you goof ! He should be here in a few minutes, right ?" She whispered to him.

Lux nodded. "Yes, I asked him to be here around 7:30. He's supposed to climb the provided ladder to the master bedroom's window. It's time." He whispered back.

Ahsoka acted to the best of her ability. "Mina ? Do you hear that ? That bell... Ooohhh... It's... It's Santa Claus ! He's coming down here ! Look ! He's about to walk down from our stairway !" She pointed.

"Santa Claus ! He's going to bring us presents ! Oh boy ! Oh boy ! Oh boy ! Oh boy ! Yay !" Mina bounced around the living room in excitement.

Surely, a slightly obese man with a large white beard, wearing a red suit walked down their stairs. "Oh ho ho ho ho ! Merry Christmas ! Merry Christmas !"

"Santa !" Mina quickly ran to him, clutching to his leg.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ! Hello there, little girl ! Have you been good ?" He asked.

Mina nodded. "Uh huh. Really good, Santa !"

He quickly sat on a provided chair. "Oh ho ho ho ho ! So you've been good, huh ? Well then, Santa has a few things for you ! Oh ho ho ho ho ! Come on. Sit on my lap, little one. Oh ho ho ho ho !"

Mina quickly jumped on his lap and hugged him. He simply offered a pat on the back. "Oh ho ho ho ho ! Let's see what we have in my old bag, shall we ?" He rummaged through his bag to find the presents. "Oh ho ho ho ho ! Let's see here... Ohhhhhh ! Here we are ! To "Mina" from "Santa"." He handed her a fairly large present, to which she placed on the floor to unwrap.

Mina quickly looked at her mother. "Mommy ? Can I open it ?"

Ahsoka wiped tears from her face. "Of course, dear. Go on."

Mina quickly tore through the wrapping, unveiling... "EEEEE ! A Cabbage Patch Doll ! Santa ! Thank you !" She quickly bounced back on his lap and hugged him.

"Oh ho ho ho ! You're welcome, little one. But wait... there's another one for you. Let me find it..." He rummaged through his bag some more. "Here we are !"

This one was larger and heavier. Ahsoka helped her to lay it on the floor. "Mommy has a feeling you'll really like this one, Mina. Go on. Open it ! Open it !"

Mina struggled to tear through the wrapping this time. Ahsoka gave her a hand. "Ohhhhhh ! Look at what we have there, Mina ! It's... It's... Teddy Ruxpin ! The Talking Teddy Bear ! He will tell you stories."

"Wow, Mommy ! A Talking Teddy Bear !" She gazed at Santa Claus. "Thank you, Santa !" She hopped once again and hugged him. Lux had to reach for a tissue to dry his watery eyes.

Santa placed Mina back on the floor. "Oh ho ho ho ho ! You must be Ahsoka, Mina's Mommy. I have a few things for you." He motioned her to sit on his lap. Not wanting to have Mina suspect anything, she played the "big kid" part.

He had a good look at her. "Oh ho ho ho ho ! Goodness, you're beautiful !" He felt her stomach. "Ohhhh... what's that now ? Are you expecting another child ? What a gift ! Oh ho ho ho ho !" He rummaged through his bag again and found a couple of small presents for her. "Here we are ! I have a feeling you'll be really pleased ! Oh ho ho ho ho !"

Ahsoka unwrapped her first present. She turned to Lux and winked at him. "Oh, nice ! So very nice ! King Diamond's "Fatal Portrait" album ! I've had it in the back of my mind to grab it. Thank you, Santa." Santa was caught off guard when she kissed him on the cheek. She opened her second present. "Ha ! "The Dark Crystal" VHS tape. Perfect ! Thanks !" She kissed him again.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ! Now it's Daddy's turn, huh ? Come on over !" Santa motioned to Lux.

At first, Lux was reluctant to play the "big kid" part, but he followed through the act. "Thank you for coming, Santa. Now I wonder, what have you got in store for me ?"

"Oh ho ho ho ho ! Santa knows all, Mr. Bonteri. Here's one !" He handed Lux a small present.

Lux quickly unwrapped it, looked over at Ahsoka and winked at her. "Oh Goodness Gracious ! "The Story of Port" ? I definitely can't say I saw this coming ! Wow ! Thank you so much, Santa !" Lux simply shook Santa's hand in thanks.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ! There's one more..." He rummaged through his bag. "Here we are ! Oh ho ho ho ho !" He handed Lux a bottle, wrapped in paper.

Lux's eyes widened in shock. "Taylor Fladgate 1985 Vintage Port ?!" He quickly turned to Ahsoka again, looking really surprised. "Thank you, Santa ! Thank you SO very much for all of this !" He shook Santa's hand again before getting off his lap.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ! Now I have to get moving, I have many other families to bring presents to. Oh ho ho ho ho ! Good bye, little Mina. Be good, and Santa will bring you even better presents next year ! Oh ho ho ho ho !" With that, Santa exited through the normal door while Lux followed him.

While Mina and Ahsoka figured out how to get Teddy Ruxpin talking, Lux rushed off at the back of the house to remove the ladder and placing it back into the small shed. He thanked Mr. Smith for playing Santa and paid him a generous amount for his services.

He soon came back inside, noticed that Ahsoka and Mina were both listening intently to Ruxpin's tale. He cleared his throat, signaling Ahsoka to follow him.

"Keep listening to the story, Mina. Mommy will be right back." She was almost dragged into the laundry room.

"You... you didn't have to go to such lengths, you know ? That was a 200+ dollar port you bought."

She looked up to him. "You've been too kind for us. It's only fair that I treat you to something special once in a while. Aren't you happy ?"

He held his hands up in defeat. "Don't misunderstand. I'm thrilled about it. However, we won't be able to drink this for a very long time. Likely not until Mina turns 25."

"That's fine with me. We'll be able to share this gift as a family. Me, you, Mina... and our upcoming second child. That's exactly why I bought that. I listen to the sommelier's recommendation as much as you do. I've learned a lot since we've arrived here. I keep learning something new every day. You're welcome, love. And Merry Christmas." They kissed for a few moments. "I'll get back with Mina. Why don't you join us ?" She offered.

Lux nodded. "I guess I could."

The three listened with great interest to Ruxpin's tale as they felt great joy from their evening. It was more than enough to make Ahsoka forget her nightmare concerning her doubts for leaving the Order.

 **Friday, January 9th, 1987**

A great snowfall affected the area. Around 5 am, both Lux and Ahsoka were outside, shoveling snow off their driveway.

"You know, Lux, I'm starting to hate winter a bit. The snow doesn't bother me, it's the kriffing cold !" She remarked.

"It's definitely chilly right about now. Kinda like back at Carlac." He replied.

All of a sudden, Ahsoka stopped and gave him a slight frown. "I'd rather not think of our past too much, Lux. Do you know how you almost broke my heart in pieces when you left abruptly ?"

He let out a sigh. "I can guess how you felt. When I escaped on that pod, I was kicking myself for leaving you like that. You know, it was during that moment that I felt genuine love for you. At the same time, I was conflicted. I knew that if you returned those feelings, you'd likely be expelled from the Order. When I saw you following your trial, I knew it was my opportunity to redeem myself. Look how far we've gone since... We're living together, we already have a child of our own and we're expecting a second later this year. I'd say that we appreciate each other very well."

Her frown soon changed to a smile. "I wouldn't change any of this for the universe. I'm just happy that you appreciate me for who I am."

 **Saturday, May 27th**

Lux woke up from his sleep and looked to his side. Ahsoka wasn't there. "3 am. Likely giving in to her cravings again." He got up and quietly went downstairs to the kitchen. She was there, scarfing some chocolate ice cream.

"Hungry much ?" He teased.

She felt sarcastic. "No, I'm just bored." She rolled her eyes.

"A full tub, huh ? Pregnancy sure is scary. It's a good thing Togrutas don't feed on Humans, I'd be a goner." He joked.

She finished the last of the tub. "Well, I'm done. *Burps* Time to go back to bed." Her stomach was pretty swollen. Just a couple of months to go and they'd find out whether their new baby is a boy or a girl.

 **Tuesday, July 21st**

Around 6:30 am, Ahsoka's contractions were getting more and more intense. "Lux ! Lux ! Wake up ! I think our second child wants to come out ! Get Mina and take me to the hospital. Hurry !"

Lux leapt out of bed, quickly put on some clothes, woke up Mina, clothed her and helped out Ahsoka down the stairs. In 20 minutes, they were out on the road. Lux beeped continuously as he swerved around heavy traffic. He passed a yellow light when it suddenly turned to red. They nearly collided with a garbage truck.

"ARE YOU CRAZY ?! YOU KNOW BETTER THAN TO CROSS AT A RED LIGHT !" She screamed out loud.

"It was yellow for a moment. Relax. We'll be fine !" He replied.

"Are you sure you passed your driving test with flying colors ? I'm starting to wonder."

"Yeah, it's a wonder I did." He joked. Ahsoka wasn't amused. She looked at him with a deep frown.

"Lux, this is hardly a laughing matter. We could have been killed ! Be more careful on the road, please ?" She begged.

Around 30 minutes later, they arrived at the hospital. As soon as they entered, some of the nurses quickly placed her in a wheelchair and rushed her to the maternity ward. Lux and Mina were struggling to follow them.

As they waited outside the operation room, Ahsoka's screams of pain worried Lux and Mina.

She looked up to her father, eyes watery. "Daddy ? Why are they hurting Mommy ?"

Lux knelt before her. "They're not hurting her, Mina. I can't speak for her, but I've heard that birthing is very painful. It shouldn't be too long, and you'll have a little brother or a little sister."

Suddenly, a different cry was heard. Definitely a newborn baby. Lux breathed a sigh of relief. Dr. Robertson opened the door. "You can come in, both of you. It's a boy. Congratulations !"

Ahsoka held a bundle in her arms. Lux just looked on with shock. It's a boy, all right. His skin color was closer to Lux's. From his Togruta lineage, he inherited lekku and montrals, like Mina. He also had some faint markings on his face.

"Well, Mina..." She began. "Seems you have yourself a little brother." She looked up to Lux, exhausted from her ordeal. "So, what are we going to name him ?" She asked.

"Daniel is a good name... and I thought about a middle name as well..."

Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "Yes ?".

"Mother is already honored with Mina. For our son, it's only fitting that we honor my father." He suggested.

"Daniel John Bonteri, huh ? Yeah, I like that. What do you think, Mina ?"

Mina hesitated to answer for a moment. "I like that too, Mommy. I'm going to have lots of fun playing with Daniel."

Ahsoka raised her son in the air. "It's official. Daniel John, welcome to the Bonteri family."

 **So the son is born. Like Mina, he is also going to be quite a handful. Did you guys enjoy my own little take on Ahsoka's scene from "Shroud of Darkness" ? I don't know about the rest of you, but I felt tremendous chills during that scene. John Bonteri is once again used with Lux's Sister's permission. An excellent writer and highly recommended. Feel free to leave a review.**


	10. The Bonteris get a Puppy

**Thursday, July 23rd**

A couple of days following Daniel's birth, Ahsoka was finally allowed out of the hospital and back home. She was grateful that Lux was now capable to drive on his own. The ride back home went much smoother than when they first rushed for Daniel's birth. Mina was in the car seat at the back, grinning with pride. She had a little brother that she would be able to play with, in a matter of time.

Their ride was interrupted when Lux was forced to stop at a red light. Before Lux could proceed once the green light appeared, Ahsoka's montrals caught the sound of distant sirens and air horns. "Wait ! Don't you hear that ? Sound like a couple of fire trucks will be passing on this intersection soon. Let's give them the chance to get through." She suggested.

Lux knew better than to doubt her hearing. A minute later, a total of 5 trucks were passing through. "What in the universe ?! For 5 of these going at the same site, it must be something big !" They were forced to follow them if they wished to get through the traffic jam.

Of course, Daniel is awakened by the sirens and begins to cry. She holds him close. "It's ok, little buddy. You're ok. You won't be hearing these for very long." When they were finally able to clear themselves from the flow of traffic, they saw where the trucks were heading to. Jim's apartment complex was in flames. Ahsoka gasped at the horrifying sight. "Oh. My. Force. Our old apartment ! Poor Jim ! He must be devastated ! All those tenants lost what they called home !"

Lux rode very carefully through the streets and finally arrived at their driveway. "Whew ! That was not exactly what I would call a pleasant surprise. It's a good thing we chose to seek a house of our own. I do feel sorry for those tenants being temporarily homeless, but we have to focus on ourselves. How's our little buddy holding out ?" He asked.

"He's good. I think the latter part of the ride lulled him to sleep." She got out and quickly entered inside, placing Daniel on the sofa for a minute while looking for a couple of blankets before she could place him on the floor.

Lux entered with Mina, in tow. "Mina, keep an eye on your little brother, ok ? We'll be right back."

"Ok, Daddy." She sat next to her brother, waving to him while he was still asleep. "We're going to have lots of fun together." She whispered gently.

Ahsoka soon walked back in the living room and was pleased to see Mina already taking a shine to her little brother. "Ok, Mina. Can you carry him to the floor ? Careful not to drop him." She placed the blankets on the floor.

Mina got down from the sofa and reached for Daniel. Suddenly, he began crying. Mina looks up to her mother, startled. "Mommy, did I scare him ?"

"It's ok. He's probably just a bit hungry. Give him to me, please." She extends her arms to her daughter, holding Daniel and sat on a rocking chair, ready to nurse him. She turned to Mina. "Go play with Daddy, ok ? I would like to be alone with him for a little while." Mina nodded and ran around the house looking for Lux.

She found him in the laundry room, placing a load in the washer. "Hello Daddy. Can we play ?"

"Sure ! As soon as I'm done with this, ok ?" He started the machine and was bringing Mina upstairs. As he approached the staircase, he quickly glanced at Ahsoka, whom was busy nursing Daniel. "We'll leave your brother and mother alone for a bit. Come on upstairs, we'll do something really fun !" She quickly followed her father, excited of not knowing what to expect.

They arrived in her room. Lux reached in the closet and brought out a small box. He opened it and tipped it over, revealing many pieces of different shapes and sizes.

Mina looks on with curiosity. "What's that, Daddy ?"

"This is called a puzzle, Mina. What you have to do is to help me put the pieces where they belong. When we'll we done, we'll have a picture to look at." Lux explained as plainly as possible.

Mina looked at a couple of puzzle pieces and quickly figured out that two of them matched. "Those two, Daddy ?" She handed the pieces over to him.

Lux is astounded at how quickly she is catching on. "Let's see here... Hey ! What about that, huh ? You're absolutely right ! They do fit in with each other ! Ok, let's try to find the other pieces."

With some trial and error, they managed to complete the 24 piece puzzle. When they were done, there was a picture of a cute white animal. Mina had no clue what thing was, but it looked adorable. "What's that, Daddy ?"

Lux cleared his throat. "It's a baby seal, Mina. They're native to the Arctic and Antarctic regions. It's really cold over there, so these seals have very thick fur to withstand the cold."

"Wow, Daddy ! You know so much !" Mina exclaimed, gaining a chuckle from Lux.

"Well, Daddy does a lot of reading. You like books, don't you, Mina ?" He points to a small library in her room.

Mina nodded happily. "Uh huh. I like looking at pictures."

"Pictures, huh ? Well then, I think I might have something here that we could enjoy together, how about that ?" Lux suggested.

"Yay ! We're gonna look at pictures ! We're gonna look at pictures !" Mina bounced around happily.

Lux glanced outside Mina's room and saw Ahsoka going into Daniel's room. No peep was heard from their son. He was sound asleep. As she exited the room. she held a finger in front of her lips. "He'll likely sleep for a few hours before he wakes again. Come on, you two. Head back downstairs. Let's allow him much needed peace and quiet." She whispered to them.

The three gathered on the sofa. Lux pulled out a book he knew Mina would enjoy. In little time, the couple found out their daughter was very fond of animals. She saw all sorts of animal pictures, such as lions, gorillas, dolphins, wolves, snakes, etc...

Ahsoka retired to the dining area and sat on a stool by the counter. She chose to turn on the radio at a low volume. She set it to her favorite station.

"Good morning, everybody ! Welcome to NYC-98.9, New York's finest rock station. I'm your host, Tim Savvy and besides me is my trusty co-host, Ed Thomas."

"You know, Tim... Just this once, let's throw our listeners in for a loop. I know the majority are expecting the hottest heavy metal and hard rock tunes to be played. Fear not, loyal listeners, you are in for a treat later."

"What do you have in mind, Ed ?"

"We rarely play progressive rock aside the occasional _Deep Purple, Pink Floyd_ and _Genesis_ songs. How about we dare our listeners with something _really_ unique ?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get to the point, Ed. We don't have all day, you know !"

"Ok, Tim. It's been a real long time since we've played anything from _Emerson, Lake & Palmer_."

"Oh Goodness Gracious, Ed ! I'm seeing you coming a mile ahead. You really want to subject our listeners to _that_ ?"

"Since you seem to know what I've got in mind, why don't you introduce the song, Tim ?"

Tim sighs. "Ok, Ed. If it's what you really want. Folks, what we're about to play will _not_ please everyone. This is a behemoth of a track. A 20+ minute monster. We have Keith Emerson on synthesizers and various organs, Greg Lake on guitars and vocals... and finally Carl Palmer on percussions. Here is Tarkus... from the self-titled album, Tarkus. Hold on folks, I promise that I'll give you all what you really want to hear next."

The first of seven segments, titled "Eruption", began. At first, the synths sounded serene, but the pace quickly moved to an aggressive number. Emerson's keyboards skills were apparent right off the bat. The second segment, titled "Stone of Years", featured Lake's soaring vocals. Nothing like the high pitched screams Ahsoka was used to, his voice was soothing.

Has the dawn ever seen your eyes?  
Have the days made you so unwise?  
Realize, you are.

Had you talked to the winds of time,  
Then you'd know how the waters rhyme,  
Taste of wine,

How can you know where you've been?  
In time you'll see the sign  
And realize your sin.

Will you know how the seed is sown?  
All your time has been overgrown,  
Never known.

Have you walked on the stones of years?  
When you speak, is it you that hears?  
Are your ears bone?

You can't hear anything at all.

The third segment, titled "Iconoclast", featured more of Emerson's keyboard skills. At some points, Ahsoka gritted her teeth as some particularly high-pitched notes were heard during the piece.

The fourth segment, entitled "Mass", featured more of Lake's voice. It featured a layered effect on his voice, causing a trippy feeling. There were some guitar chords, but they were few and far between.

The preacher said a prayer.  
Save every single hair on his head.  
He's dead.

The minister of hate had just arrived too late to be spared.  
Who cared?  
The weaver in the web that he made!

The pilgrim wandered in,  
Committing every sin that he could  
So good...

The cardinal of grief was set in his belief he'd saved  
From the grave  
The weaver in the web that he made!

The high priest took a blade  
To bless the ones that prayed,  
And all obeyed.

The messenger of fear is slowly growing, nearer to the time,  
A sign.  
The weaver in the web that he made!

A bishops rings a bell,  
A cloak of darkness fell across the ground  
Without a sound!

The silent choir sing and in their silence,  
Bring jaded sound, harmonic ground.  
The weaver in the web that he made!

The fifth segment, titled "Manticore", featured more of Emerson's work and also Palmer's percussions. It was especially grating at points. Thankfully, the sixth segment, titled "Battlefield", featured more of Lake's vocals and some of his guitar playing.

Clear the battlefield and let me see  
All the profit from our victory.  
You talk of freedom, starving children fall.  
Are you deaf when you hear the season's call?

Were you there to watch the earth be scorched?  
Did you stand beside the spectral torch?  
Know the leaves of sorrow turned their face,  
Scattered on the ashes of disgrace.

Every blade is sharp; the arrows fly  
Where the victims of your armies lie,  
Where the blades of brass and arrows reign  
Then there will be no sorrow,  
Be no pain.

At the end, began the final segment of the piece, titled "Aquatarkus". It featured once again Emerson's amazing keyboard. This was a piece like none other. Ahsoka had never heard anything quite like it. At the same time, she both loved it and hated it. She hated the high notes, which hurt her montrals, but loved Lake's voice.

"Whew ! What a trip ! ELP are really one of a kind. Are you folks still with us ? It's time to get back to some delicious metal. Danish metal, that is. Can you predict my next pick, Tim ?"

"The only thing on my radar, Ed, is Abigail by _King Diamond_ , released back in February. I've enjoyed Fatal Portrait a great deal. No doubt this one will also rock my socks off."

"Most likely, Tim. I've heard it myself, King really stepped up his game here. It's so melodic and downright catchy. Say we go for the title track, Abigail ?"

"Sure thing, Ed. Let's see how they've improved since last year's album."

Oh Abigail, I know you're in control of her brain, Abigail  
And I know that you're the one who's speaking through her, Abigail

Miriam, well, can you hear me?  
I am alive inside your wife  
Miriam's dead, I am her head

I am alive inside your wife  
Miriam's dead, I am her head

Oh Abigail, don't you think I know what you've done, Abigail  
I'll get a priest, he will know how to get her soul back

Oh Jonathan, this is Miriam, our time is out  
Remember the stairs the only way

Oh Abigail, nothing I can do but give in, Abigail  
Follow me, unto the crypt  
Oh Abigail, you'll also be reborn when you die, Abigail  
Jonathan, I agree, yes I do

I am alive inside your wife  
Miriam's dead, I am her head  
Soon I'll be free

"Woah ! What a devilishly delicious track, Ed ! Oh, there goes my socks ! They've just been rocked !"

"Hahaha ! I knew you'd get a kick out of it, Tim. Now... we'll take a minute before we move on to today's major treat."

" _Holy Force ! That was amazing ! One more artist to definitely stay up-to-date with. His first album was so good, and this one seems even better !_ " Ahsoka felt chills creep up on her. She hadn't felt this way since she first heard "Children of The Sea" from Ronnie James Dio when she was busy cleaning the McCoy apartment over 3 years ago.

"Ok, Ed. What's that "treat" you've been talking about ?"

"Simple, Tim. There's a new band in L.A., it's not trash metal like _Metallica_. It's classic hard rock, closer to what we'd expect like _AC/DC_. These new guys, called _Guns N' Roses_ , comprise of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. From their first album, released two days ago, titled Appetite For Destruction, we have... Welcome to The Jungle ! Here we go ! Wooooo !"

Welcome to the jungle  
We've got fun 'n' games  
We got everything you want  
Honey, we know the names  
We are the people that can find  
Whatever you may need  
If you got the money, honey  
We got your disease

In the jungle  
Welcome to the jungle  
Watch it bring you to your  
knees, knees  
I wanna watch you bleed

Welcome to the jungle  
We take it day by day  
If you want it you're gonna bleed  
But it's the price you pay  
And you're a very sexy girl  
That's very hard to please  
You can taste the bright lights  
But you won't get them for free  
In the jungle  
Welcome to the jungle  
Feel my, my, my serpentine  
I, I wanna hear you scream

Welcome to the jungle  
It gets worse here every day  
Ya learn ta live like an animal  
In the jungle where we play  
If you got a hunger for what you see  
You'll take it eventually  
You can have anything you want  
But you better not take it from me

And when you're high you never  
Ever want to come down, YEAH!

You know where you are  
You're in the jungle baby  
You're gonna die  
In the jungle  
Welcome to the jungle  
Watch it bring you to your  
knees, knees  
In the jungle  
Welcome to the jungle  
Feel my, my, my serpentine  
In the jungle  
Welcome to the jungle  
Watch it bring you to your  
knees, knees  
In the jungle  
Welcome to the jungle  
Watch it bring you to your  
It' gonna bring you down-HA!

Once the song was over, Ahsoka face palmed. " _Terrific ! Just what we needed ! Another song about sex ! But this time, it's even better. It's a song about sex AND drugs ! Seriously guys, you call that a "treat" ?! Give me a kriffing break ! Ugh !_ " With that, she shut off the radio and shook her head a few times in disgust. Thankfully, the volume was so low it didn't catch Mina's attention. She went to sit with her and Lux as they were looking at the picture book. Mina was fascinated by the different looks of so many animals.

Suddenly, a proverbial light bulb appeared above Lux's head. "Mina, since you like animals so much, would you like to see them up close ? When Daniel will be a bit older, we'll take you two to the Zoo. Would you like that ?"

"Oh boy ! Oh boy ! Oh boy ! Oh boy ! We'll go to the Zoo !" Mina said in excitement. She soon looked up to her mother. "Mommy... what's a zoo ?"

"It's a place you get to see all sorts of animals up close, Mina." She explained.

Lux cleared his throat. "You know, I really don't mind the arachnids, but wouldn't it be time for us to have a bit more life in this house ? I mean, aside Mina and Daniel."

Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "What do you have in mind ?"

"A dog. I've heard they make great companions. It's also something Mina could play with until Daniel gets old enough to really interact with." Lux suggested.

She leaned against the sofa, deep in thought. "Hmm. I'm not sure, Lux. I've seen clients with dogs at work. Some are really friendly, others would have bitten my hand off if the owners didn't warn me about them."

"The head of our Human Resources department, Charlie MacAdams, is a dog lover. He has a Golden Retriever named Benson. He tells me that breed in particular is very good around young children. Did you know that our current president, Ronald Reagan, has a Golden Retriever named Victory ?" Lux added.

She shook her head. "I wasn't aware of that, Lux. You seem to have your mind made up already. Ok, I'll stay with the kids while you get him or her. I guess a puppy wouldn't be so bad after all."

Mina's face brightened up. "Mommy, we're really getting a dog ? Yay !" She hopped on her mother, giving a quick hug.

Lux rose up and grabbed the car keys by the entry closet. "You really don't mind about this ? I'm sure we'll get used to the idea in no time." He smiled as he left to check out several dog pounds in the area.

"It's going to be a brand new experience for all of us, Mina." She soon heard Daniel crying upstairs. "I see that your little brother is awake. I'll go check up on him. Wanna come along ?" She offers her hand to her daughter.

The moment Ahsoka appears in the bedroom, Daniel quiets down a bit. She picked him up and placed him on the carpet. She quickly ran to the bathroom to pick up a few blankets to cushion him. After a quick diaper change, Daniel was giggling. She brought him downstairs to the living room. She sat on the rocking chair and hummed gently, calming him down.

"Now, Mina. You're almost 2 years old. You're no longer a baby, so things will begin to change. These small chairs you've used will go to your brother, ok ?"

She looked at the chairs and she soon wouldn't be able to sit in them anymore. "Ok, Mommy. I'll give them to Daniel."

"Good girl."

A few hours later, Lux arrived in the driveway. Mina looked out the living room window, she saw him holding a bundle. As Lux entered, he placed the puppy on the floor. At first, it seemed scared of its new home. Mina walked over to the puppy. "Puppy ! Hello puppy !" She extended her hand to it. The puppy wagged its tail and slowly approached Mina, whimpering slightly.

"It's a little female, 8 weeks old. She's weaned and ready to go with puppy food." Lux took out a bag of puppy food, along with a food and water bowl for her. "We'll place these right here, by the staircase. It'll be her eating and drinking spot."

The puppy licked Mina ceaselessly as she giggled. Mina was obviously very ticklish. "He he he ! It tickles ! It tickles !"

Lux knelt before her. "Now listen closely, Mina. This dog is still a baby, you need to be gentle with it, ok ? Don't play rough with it."

The puppy soon made itself at home. Too much at home. It tried to jump up the sofa, but wasn't high enough to reach it. When it landed, it curled up and whimpered a bit.

Ahsoka was very pleased. "Well... now that it's home, we need a name, don't we ?"

Lux looked out to Ahsoka, whom was holding Daniel, asleep in her arms. "You've came up for Mina's name and all. I came up with Daniel. So it's your turn to come up with a name." He suggested.

She closed her eyes for a moment. "Obi. We'll call her Obi."

Lux quickly caught on to her intention. "I see. You wish to honor Master Kenobi, huh ? I'm sure he would approve."

"Obi the puppy ! He he he ! It sounds funny, Mommy." Mina observed.

Obi seemed to approve. She was wagging her tail and walked over to Ahsoka, carefully sniffing her leg before licking it."

"Ah ha ha ha ! That tickles ! Obi. Go see Mina. Mina, call her."

"Obi. Come here. Come here, Obi." Mina pointed to herself.

The intelligence of Golden Retrievers was once again proven. Obi raced to Mina and began to lick her as she rolled on the floor.

The next following weeks were spent "potty training" Obi so she would do her business on the provided newspaper instead of anywhere on the floor. In time, she would ask for the door when needing to relieve herself. And since Mina was almost 2 years old, she no longer needed to use the high chair for feeding. She was provided a tall chair with "arms" to prevent her from slipping to the side. It would only be a matter of time until Obi learns to play fetch with Mina.

 **Didn't see that bit coming, have you ? By now, Ahsoka is obviously fully grown. You can imagine her as her Rebels counterpart if you wish. I wasn't especially fond of the new design at first, but I got used to it with time. She doesn't look all that bad. I still think her adult self on the Mortis Arc looked slightly better. On a sadder note, the reason why I placed a Emerson, Lake & Palmer song in this chapter was to honor keyboardist Keith Emerson, who passed away on March 10th, at 71 years old. I never stopped to listen to their music until very recently. It's an acquired taste, but he brought synthesizers to the forefront of rock music like Jon Lord of Deep Purple and Rick Wright of Pink Floyd. At the very least, have a look on YouTube for the Tarkus album. Aside electric guitars and a good voice, I always had a soft spot for synthesizers. Over the next chapter, we'll cover more of Daniel's growth until his 1st year. Things will never be the same. Feel free to leave a review.**


	11. The First Skirmish

**Friday, September 25th**

It had been a couple of eventful months since Daniel was home. While he wasn't able to crawl just yet, he always smiled when he was with his mother. Ahsoka brought him downstairs for his morning breastfeeding session. After he was sated, he soon dozed off in her arms. She rose from the rocking chair and moved to the couch in front of the TV. She used her free arm to look up into the VHS shelf for that golden cartridge Lux surprised her with slightly over a month ago. She set the volume low enough to not wake her son. She couldn't be any more pleased. The Legend of Zelda, this game was called. It was a very nice change of pace from the simplistic Super Mario Bros. game she played every once in a while.

This new game was more involving than she had expected. On her very first session, she managed to find the sword, fight several Octoroks and Tektites and figured her way to the first dungeon. Packed-in with the game manual was a map of the Overworld, which helped her find the first couple of dungeons. She used the map sparingly as she preferred to figure things on her own. She explored the Overworld and soon found there were much more powerful enemies lurking everywhere. Despite being on maternity leave, she didn't have much time to play games. She also had a puppy to look after. But on this particular morning, she wanted to complete the first dungeon. During her trek of the first dungeon, she became familiar with the bat-like Keese, the drop-like Gel, the boomerang-throwing Goriya, the Stalfos skeletons, last but certainly not least, was the menacing Wallmaster which would bring her back to the beginning of the dungeon if she was caught by them.

She managed to find the Bow deep into the dungeon, but not before taking a hit from the Blade Traps surrounding the stairway. She soon figured out that for most cases, all she had to do was defeat all enemies in a room to advance further. When she came upon Aquamentus, the boss of the first dungeon, she was at full heath and was able to "shoot swords" from a safe distance. All she needed to do was position herself between its fireballs and fire away. After 5 hits, the monster was defeated and a large heart stood in its place. As she touched the item, another "heart" was added to her "life meter". And she acquired her first piece of the Triforce of Wisdom. There were 7 more to go. In due time she would eventually complete her quest by defeating the evil Ganon and saving Princess Zelda. Not the most original plot, but it was good enough.

After she cleared the first dungeon, she got careless and was "killed" by Moblins. She then saved her game and shut off the console. Obi came to her, definitely in a playful mood. She tugged at Ahsoka's socks.

"Hey ! Obi. Don't do that. My socks. Oh, you little..." She used the Force to manipulate Obi's favorite toy : A small, yellow ball that Mina used to play fetch with. She tossed it around the living room, getting Obi's attention and finally getting her to leave her poor socks alone. After several minutes of Obi chasing her ball around, she got bored and went for a snooze in her little bed in the kitchen, near the door leading to the backyard. That was her spot. Ahsoka would let Obi out when Daniel was sound asleep in his crib upstairs. She would keep an eye on the dog, never really losing sight of it. She made that mistake once, and found a mess in the bathroom with the washer and dryer. Obi had pulled at the toilet paper roll and shred it to a million pieces. Ahsoka and Lux were not pleased with her at that moment, and she was soon denied access to the rooms unless they were present.

Over the afternoon, she tended to the laundry, always keeping her montrals on full alert in case Daniel woke up crying. He was getting slightly better with sleeping. Instead of waking up every couple of hours, he would sleep a good 3 before he woke up. By 5 pm, Lux was arriving with Mina. As Ahsoka greeted them, she and Lux shared a quick kiss. "Good evening, beautiful. How was your day ?" He asked.

"Typical weekday, Lux. Nothing exciting. Just taking care of Daniel and Obi like always."

"Mommy ! Where's Daniel ?" Mina looked around for her little brother.

"He's still asleep, Mina. You'll see him later tonight. Now, it's time for dinner." Ahsoka reached into the fridge and brought out some hot dogs and reached in the cupboard for hot dog buns.

Mina's eyes grew as wide as her grin. "Oh Boy ! We're having hot dogs ! Yay !"

The parents laughed at their daughter's easy contentment.

Mina quickly hopped to her chair, just waiting to dig in. Mina quickly developed a liking for ketchup, she would ask for her hot dog to be completely smothered in the condiment. After a quick dinner, Ahsoka reached in to the fridge again and pulled out a large chocolate cake.

Lux sat next to Mina. "Mina, do you know what today is ?"

Mina shook her head.

"It's your birthday today, Mina. You're 2 years old already. Goodness, how time goes by." Ahsoka offered her daughter a piece of cake with a small glass of milk.

"Oh Boy ! Chocolate Cake ! Yummy yum yum !" She was about to dig in, but Ahsoka pulled the dish away.

"What do we say first, Mina ?" She queried.

Mina thought for a moment. "Oh ? Um. Oh ! Thank you, Mommy. Thank you, Daddy."

"Good girl. Here you go. Dig in !" Mina was handed back her plate.

As Mina took a piece, Daniel's crying was heard from upstairs. Ahsoka quickly raced up the stairs. She entered his room. Obviously, he had soiled himself and it was reason enough to make any baby uncomfortable. A quick diaper change later, Daniel was content to be once again in his mother's arms. He was brought down to join in the festivities with the rest of the family.

Daniel was placed on a couple of blankets. Obi came to see him and proceeded to lick his face. Daniel squealed in joy. Mina looked down from her chair and was quite amused by the sight. "Hee hee hee ! Obi likes Daniel !"

Ahsoka picked him back in her arms, giving Daniel a break from Obi's constant licking. "Ok, Obi. You did enough licking for one day. Go to your bed." The puppy didn't need to be told twice. She knew what that meant. She quickly raced to her bed, wheeling around several times before finally settling down for sleep.

Over the night, a couple of curious people were looking around several properties.

"Hey ! Hans ! Come here ! Look at this ! A Mercedes !" One of two car thieves called out.

"Yes, Lars. We have this lock pick here, open her up !"

Obi was able to hear the discussion between the two men. She growled as she walked to the window and saw what was happening. She then barked up a storm, hoping to wake her masters.

One of the thieves heard the barking. "Come on, hurry it up, Hans ! There's a dog in that house !"

"Yeah, yeah. Stupid mutt. Probably just a Chihuahua." The other brushed off the possible threat as insignificant.

Ahsoka was quickly woken up by Obi's barking. She looked to the window and saw what was happening. Sparing no moment, she called on the Force to drag her lightsabers to her hands and rushed out to the door, in her kimono.

The two men were shocked to hear the ignition of the blades, they looked up to see a very irate Togruta. "Can I help you boys with something ?" She snarled.

Hans dropped his tools, mouth agape. "Holy. Shit. What the HELL is that thing ?! Where's that damn gun ?! Shoot her, Lars ! Shoot her !"

Before Lars had a chance to pull the trigger, Ahsoka quickly leapt in front of him, cutting his gun in two. "It's over, slimeball !"

Before the thieves could get away, she jumped over them and cut their escape. "You boys aren't going anywhere... except in the company of police."

Hans spat at her. "Screw you, you insane bitch !" She had to keep herself in control to not use Force Choke on him.

Lux came out in his pajamas. "What is going on here ?!"

Ahsoka turned to him. "It's all right, Lux. They had the mind to steal our car, it's a good thing Obi's barking woke me up. Get a rope, we'll tie these two goons and hand them over to the police."

She shut off her lightsabers and shoved them in her pockets. Lux arrived with some rope, Obi by his side. She kept her distance, growling at the thieves.

Lars took a good look at her. "Woah, woah, woah ! You've gotta be an alien ! Those things on your head, that ain't hair or my name is Abraham Lincoln !"

"You better keep your mouth shut, if you know what's good for you." Lux threatened.

Suddenly, Ahsoka got an idea. "Hold on, Lux. I have a way to convince them. She approached them. "What are you gonna do to us ?"

She waved her hand in front of them. " _You will forget this encounter. You tried to steal our car, but you got caught._ "

"We will forget this encounter. We tried to steal your car, but we got caught." They repeated.

" _You will go to sleep now._ " The men soon nodded off. And just in time, the police arrived to bring them to the nearest precinct.

The officers were very pleased. "Hans and Lars. Professional car thieves. Thank you both for stopping them."

"We owe it to our dog, if she hadn't woke us up, they would have likely succeeded." Ahsoka pointed to Obi, who was wagging her tail and looking proud.

The head officer patted Obi on the head. "Nice job, little lady. Perhaps you could join us someday." He joked.

 **Thursday, December 24th**

Ahsoka and Lux were celebrating their 3rd Christmas since they've crash-landed. Daniel, now over 5 months old, was switched to semi-solid foods. He actually enjoyed carrot puree, unlike his older sister. They were having fondue, Ahsoka took care of Mina's plate, setting up her meat and her sauces. She had some juice while Ahsoka and Lux were enjoying a bottle of wine.

"As of April next year, it'll mark our 4th anniversary since we've arrived here, 'Soka. I'm still in awe of all the accomplishments we've made since." Lux was cutting through a piece of beef and placing a couple of chicken pieces in the broth.

She nodded in agreement. "Aside our "interesting" encounter with those car thieves, it's been smooth sailing for the most part, Lux." She turned to Mina. "Mina, are you enjoying your meal ?"

Mina seemed to enjoy every bite. She quickly took a fancy towards Lux's homemade Sweet BBQ sauce. "Yeah, Mommy. This is so good. Can I have more beef, Mommy ?"

"It'll be ready in a moment, Mina. You didn't eat your salad. Greens are good for you. Eat up." She pointed to the full salad bowl by the side.

Mina pouted. "Why do I have to ? You don't have a salad."

Ahsoka sighed. "Mina, Mommy told you before. I can't eat vegetables or fruits because they make me sick. It's not because I don't want to. I just _can't_."

Mina's meat was served and cut up into bite-sized pieces. "So that's the last of your meat. Once you're done, please eat your salad. After that, we'll open up the presents Santa brought for us, ok ?"

Mina raised an eye marking. "Huh ? Santa won't be coming ? Why ?"

"Santa is busier than usual, I guess. He brought them to us while you were at daycare. He told us you'd be very happy with your gifts." Lux explained.

After everyone finished their plates, the dishes were placed in the dishwasher. As the family gathered around the Christmas tree, Lux took out a camera. "You know, we haven't taken a picture of us all together since Daniel got born. Let me set up this tripod a moment."

Lux set the camera to wait 10 seconds before taking the picture.

"Ok, everyone, smile ! Say "Cheese" !"

The picture came out even better than expected. Ahsoka, holding Daniel in her arms, stood by Lux. Mina was smiling greatly as Obi sat by her side. It was the perfect picture every family strived for.

Daniel was the first to have his presents. First off, he got a brand new pacifier, to replace the one that he used in full. And he also got a load of baby clothes.

When Mina's turn came, she didn't know what to expect. She received a Pound Puppy plush toy and a Talking Alf doll. The family were very fond of the hit sitcom under the same name. Lux adored Alf's snappy comebacks to Willie Tanner.

For Ahsoka, Lux really caught her off guard with a beautiful little Pinktoe tarantula she named Poopers. The name was given when she tried to handle her and she got sprayed with spider poop on her shirt. At first, she was somewhat shocked and insulted, but she ended up bursting into fits of laughter, causing the entire family to laugh with her. Her second gift was King Diamond's Abigail album, which Lux knew she was on the prowl for but never came to actually buying.

Lux got himself a major surprise. At first, he was given a 1000.00$ gift card to the Mercedes dealer she bought her car from. The second gift was expected, a bottle of Amarone, a high-end wine from Italy.

Overall, the evening went very well and everyone appreciated their presents. Obi was simply given some chew toys, to which she eagerly took interest in.

 **Monday, January 25th, 1988**

It was Lux's 26th birthday. After his work shift was done, Ahsoka brought the kids along for shopping for his birthday gift : his very own car. He settled on a sleek black 1985 Mercedes-Benz 500SE. Slightly different from Ahsoka's 1984 190E model, the black and ocean blue vehicles contrasted greatly. They both made their way back home. Mina rode with Lux while Ahsoka took Daniel with her. When Lux arrived the following day with his own vehicle, he surprised his co-workers a good deal. He was really fitting in with the "working family" lifestyle.

 **Monday, February 8th**

It was Ahsoka's 25th birthday. Lux surprised her with an exquisite dinner at a high-end steakhouse restaurant. Her worries about the kids were put to rest once she knew Kayla volunteered to babysit the kids. If anything, Mina, while being in her "terrible twos" phase, wasn't too much of an issue. Kayla made chocolate cupcakes, which everyone enjoyed, Daniel included. Being almost 7 months old, he was beginning to really take a liking to sweets like his sister. By the time Ahsoka and Lux got back, both children were asleep and Kayla was snoozing on the couch with Obi by her side.

 **Saturday, February 20th**

It was a typical lazy weekend for the family. Lux was feeding Daniel, Mina was playing with Obi and Ahsoka was watching TV. She tuned in to MTV and caught a new music video titled "Close Your Eyes Forever".

Ahsoka blinked a few times. "What the ? L. Ford. O. Osbourne. A collaboration between Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne ?! Can it really be ?!"

She saw Lita playing a two-necked guitar and singing some verses. She definitely sounded better here than when she tried to mimic Cherie Currie on "Cherry Bomb". Ozzy's voice brought an interesting contrast. While they both sounded very different, they really mashed well together. Lita's guitar solo was amazing as she expected. By the time the video was over, Ahsoka huddled herself against the pillows. "Wow ! That. Was. Awesome." She spent the rest of the afternoon just watching random music videos on MTV.

 **Thursday, July 21st**

Ahsoka couldn't believe it. Daniel was already a year old. By now, he was capable of talking as well as walking on his own. His first word was "Mina". He took a liking to his sister and followed her everywhere she went around the house. They would play hide & seek together. For his birthday, he was provided a rich chocolate cake like Mina had during her first. Of course, by the end of his dessert, Daniel was coated in chocolate all over. After a quick bath, he was good as new and ready for bed. Things would definitely get more interesting as both children would soon voice their thoughts all the time.

Daniel really enjoyed it when Ahsoka would feed her tarantulas. Just the sight of them pouncing on their meal got little Daniel giggling. And the occasional "poop" attack by Poopers was always worth seeing. In time, Ahsoka would stop trying to handle her, seeing how she reacted to being taken away from her enclosure. With Obi, it was even more amusing. She kept running after him and he would be running around in circles, laughing constantly. Neither Lux nor Ahsoka ever felt any ill coming from Obi. She was the perfect dog for the family.

 **And we are done. Things will be more interesting from here on out. Over the next chapter, we'll see brother and sister adding their own little comments to everyday life. You can expect some hilarious observations. As for Obi, she gets better.** **Feel free to leave a review.**


	12. Kids will be Kids

**Saturday, August 27th**

It was another beautiful afternoon. The sun was quite warm. The family were relaxing in their backyard. Mina and Daniel were provided a kiddie pool to cool themselves off from the heat. Obi was sleeping under the table, avoiding the sun's warm rays. Lux was only wearing shorts and sunglasses. Ahsoka had a two piece bikini as well as sunglasses. Fortunately, the backyard was fenced so they would have their privacy from curious neighbors. Lux considered himself so lucky to have such a beautiful woman as his wife. It was one of the first times he'd seen her in a bikini. She looked so attractive and exotic. Through her return to work, she was regaining her slim figure. She would do a series of exercises every morning to keep herself into shape. Both were sitting in lawn chairs, enjoying the sun's rays.

"The kids seem to be enjoying themselves, 'Soka. A kiddie pool was all that we needed to make them happy. Look at them, splashing at each other." Lux couldn't be any happier. They were living a fantastic life so far. No longer needing to worry about war was one of the biggest perks of their new lifestyles.

She removed her sunglasses to get a better glance at her children. "So far, so good, Lux. As long as they're content, so are we. It's a good thing it takes so little to please them. Later on, we could install a large pool for all of us. So we could have a dip on those really hot days."

Lux nodded. "Now there's an idea, 'Soka. Next summer, we'll shop for one. How does that sound ?"

She turned to him, flashing a smile. "Music to my montrals, Lux. Sure, we can wait a year. The kiddie pool will suffice for the time being. What time is it ?"

Lux looks at the sky, guessing the time by the position of the sun. "Probably close to 4. You know what that means, huh ?" He winked at her.

She winked back. "Yep. Happy Hour ! A beer wouldn't be all that bad right about now. Can you get me one, please ?"

Lux rose from his chair, making his way back into the house. As he was about to enter, he turned to her. "Uh... what are you in the mood for ?"

She thought about her options. "Hmmm... Oh, I'll guess I'll go for... a Guinness !"

"Guinness, huh ? Guess that'll make two. You can't beat a cold Guinness on a warm day, now can you ?"

"Nope. I never thought I would come to love this as much as you do." She brought the table near their chairs, causing Obi to wake up and look for another cooling spot.

Mina came racing out from the kiddie pool, Daniel in tow. "Mommy, can we have some juice, please ?"

"Of course, Mina. We've got orange juice and pineapple juice, what do you want ? And you, Daniel ?" She queried her children.

Daniel hopped around. "Orange ! Orange !"

"Pineapple for me, Mommy." Mina answered.

She turned and hollered to Lux. "Lux ! Bring a plastic glass of pineapple juice for Mina and fill Daniel's sippy cup with orange juice as well, please."

Several minutes later, Lux came out with a tray containing everyone's drinks. Daniel held out his arms to grab his sippy cup. "What do you say first, little buddy ?"

"Thank you, Daddy !" Daniel quickly grabbed his sippy cup and sat next to his mother.

"Atta boy !" Lux cheered. Daniel was learning new words constantly. Being with Mina at daycare definitely sped up his thirst for knowledge. He was already quite curious and constantly quizzed Mina about everything.

Mina was offered her glass and took a seat next to her father. Ahsoka and Lux were slowly sipping their beers, making them last as long as possible.

Lux's stomach began to grumble. "What could we make for dinner, 'Soka ?"

Ahsoka cleared her throat. "Why don't we let the kids choose ?" She turned to them. "Kids, what do you want to eat ?"

Mina looked to her mother. "Hot dogs ?"

Ahsoka smirked in response. Lux nodded to her. "Mina, that's a great idea ! We'll have hot dogs."

"Yay !" The kids shouted in unison.

"And since it's so beautiful today, why don't we eat right here ?" Ahsoka offered.

"Yippee ! We're having hot dogs ! We're having hot dogs !" Daniel simply ran around in excitement.

Both Lux and Ahsoka looked at each other before laughing. Their kids were so easy to please. Too easy. Things would certainly change once the two would be in their rebellious teenage years.

Lux rose up from his chair and started the barbecue. Ahsoka went inside the house to fetch the hot dogs, buns, ketchup, mustard and relish. About 15 minutes later, dinner was served and everyone ate quietly. Following dinner, the kids were given a small portion of ice cream as dessert.

 **Sunday, September 25th**

Mina was already on her 3rd birthday. Time seemed to pass by so fast since they had two children to take care of now. Neither Ahsoka nor Lux would change anything. They enjoyed the challenges of parenthood. Ahsoka had to go shopping for a cake for Mina. While Lux entertained Daniel with puzzles, Ahsoka brought Mina with her. They were going through the aisles and Mina was quite tempted by various candies.

"Mommy, I want that !" She points.

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, Mina. We're only here for a chocolate cake."

"MOMMY ! NO ! I WANT IT ! I WANT IT ! I WANT IT !" A temper tantrum was in the works. People were staring at the two now.

"Mina, Mommy said no." Ahsoka wouldn't have any of it.

Suddenly, Mina began to scream and cry. She dropped on the ground in a fetal position.

Ahsoka frowned. "Mina Padmé Bonteri ! You will get back up... NOW ! Mommy's counting to 3. If you're not up by then, no cake for you !"

Mina bawled loudly as other customers looked at her.

"1..." Ahsoka crossed her arms in front of her chest and tapped her foot in impatience.

"Wahhhh ! Mommy ! Noooooo !"

"2..." She knelt before her daughter, trying to lift her back up.

Mina looked up to her mother, eyes filled with tears.

"2 and a half..."

She got up and clung to her mother's leg, still crying.

"Now, come on ! This is what you're getting !" She pointed at the smallest cake available.

Mina wasn't pleased. "Mommy... *hic* it's so... *hic* small."

Ahsoka hated to give her daughter "tough love", but a lesson had to be taught. After she was placed in the rear seat, they drove back towards home. "You can't expect to have everything that you want, Mina. Let this be a lesson to you. Do not throw a tantrum in public like that again. Do you understand me ?"

She lowered her head in shame. "Yes, Mommy."

" _How am I going to punish her for this ? She knows better than to behave like that. Would spanking work ? No, it's too harsh. She'll be sent to bed early. That'll be enough."_

After she was done eating her cake, she was sent to bed immediately. Mina knew better than whining about her punishment. She eventually fell asleep, sobbing every once in a while.

 **Wednesday, September 28th**

Ahsoka was quite busy at work. She was in the middle of repairing the motor of a pickup truck. While she was working, she had bought a portable radio so she could have a bit of music to make her tougher jobs more bearable. Of course, it was set to NYC-98.9, her all-time favorite music station. She was about to be overwhelmed with several truly outstanding songs.

"... so Tim, we've just finished with the amazingly awesome instrumental piece Zero G from _Ronnie Montrose_ 's The Speed of Sound. We haven't heard any songs from _Metallica_ in a while. Their latest album, ...And Justice for All, is nothing short of amazing. So let's cut the commentary and go straight with... wait for it... ...And Justice for All ! Oh yeah !"

Halls of justice painted green  
Money talking  
Power wolves beset your door  
Hear them stalking  
Soon you'll please their appetite  
They devour  
Hammer of justice crushes you  
Overpower

The ultimate in vanity  
Exploiting their supremacy  
I can't believe the things you say  
I can't believe  
I can't believe the price you pay  
Nothing can save you

Justice is lost  
Justice is raped  
Justice is gone  
Pulling your strings  
Justice is done  
Seeking no truth  
Winning is all  
Find it so grim  
So true  
So real

Apathy their stepping stone  
So unfeeling  
Hidden deep animosity  
So deceiving  
Through your eyes their light burns  
Hoping to find  
Inquisition sinking you  
With prying minds

The ultimate in vanity  
Exploiting their supremacy  
I can't believe the things you say  
I can't believe  
I can't believe the price you pay  
Nothing can save you

Justice is lost  
Justice is raped  
Justice is gone  
Pulling your strings  
Justice is done  
Seeking no truth  
Winning is all  
Find it so grim  
So true  
So real

Lady Justice has been raped  
Truth assassin  
Rolls of red tape seal your lips  
Now you're done in  
Their money tips her scales again  
Make your deal  
Just what is truth? I cannot tell  
Cannot feel

The ultimate in vanity  
Exploiting their supremacy  
I can't believe the things you say  
I can't believe  
I can't believe the price we pay  
Nothing can save us

Justice is lost  
Justice is raped  
Justice is gone  
Pulling your strings  
Justice is done  
Seeking no truth  
Winning is all  
Find it so grim  
So true  
So real

Seeking no truth  
Winning is all  
Find it so grim  
So true  
So real

Ahsoka mentally slapped herself. " _Oh Force ! All of a sudden, all those painful moments of my trial are coming back to me ! If Anakin hadn't discovered Barriss... Ok, Ahsoka, get a grip on yourself ! This is all in the past ! You're living a peaceful life, you have the best husband in the Galaxy and you've got great children ! No point in sulking over what happened years ago..._ "

"Holy Moley, Ed ! That was sick ! All those solos ! Woah !"

"You want delicious solos, Tim ? Ever heard "Them" ?"

"Heard who ?"

"No, no, no. I mean the album "Them" from _King Diamond_. Have you heard it, Tim ?"

"I haven't, Ed. As good as Fatal Portrait or Abigail ? Those two set the bar so high, I'm not sure King can do a third knockout album..."

"Oh ho ho, you have no idea, Tim ! The album was released on the 13th of this month. To whet your appetite, let's listen to... The Invisible Guests ! Whoo !"

Late that night I awoke from My sleep  
Hearing unknown voices laughing  
insane  
Grandma' was one, Oh it's coming  
from the room next to mine  
It's Grandma' room... the invisible  
guests  
As I stood there alone in the dark  
Peeking through the keyhole, couldn't  
believe My eyes  
I'd never seen anything like it, only  
Grandma' was inside the room  
Speaking to no one... the invisible  
guests  
Cups were rising in thin air and then  
emptied on the floor  
Suddenly the door was open and  
Grandma' said  
"Do come in My little friend"  
Missy and Mother were sleeping  
downstairs  
If they could see me in Grandmother's  
chair

Grandmother said "look Me deep in  
the eyes  
You will forget what You saw here  
tonight"  
"I will let You in on the secret of this  
house  
The secret of Amon... that's what we  
call this house  
Now I want you to go back to sleep,  
now go back to sleep My dear"  
The invisible guests

Cups were rising in thin air and then  
emptied on the floor  
Suddenly the door was open and  
Grandma' said  
"Now you must go back to sleep"  
"Go to sleep"... "Go to sleep"...  
"Go to sleep"...  
Missy and Mother were sleeping  
downstairs  
If they could see me in Grandmother's  
chair

Ahsoka was so distracted during the song that she nearly dropped a wrench on her foot. " _Holy. Force. This guy keeps getting better and better ! Man, those guitar solos were almost better than sex. Almost..._ "

"Geez ! You weren't kidding about delicious guitar solos ! Andy LaRocque and Pete Blakk were outstanding ! And King's falsetto's ! "Cups were rising in thin air and then emptied on the floor Suddenly, the door was opened and Grandma said "Do come in, my little friend"" Wow, wow, wow, WOW ! That sounded crazy, man ! Can anything top this, Ed ?"

"I don't know, Tim ! But rest assured, what comes next will really knock your socks off !"

"Oh no ! I need my socks ! It's a little bit chilly in here..."

"Aha ha ha ha ! Tim, your sense of humor never fails to brighten my day and certainly those of our loyal listeners as well ! So, fresh off the press as of right now, we have the latest album by _Ozzy Osbourne_ , No Rest for The Wicked. Here is... Crazy... Babies."

Crazy...Babies

Crazy babies never say die  
Born to live on a permanent high  
Flying high above the world below  
They'd better come down soon  
Or everyone will know

Nobody's gonna change them (change them)  
They've gone over the top  
Nobody's gonna tame them (tame them)  
They're never gonna stop

Walk that walk  
Talk that talk  
Walk that walk  
Talk that talk

Crazy...Babies

When they were born, they were born to be wild  
Some say I'm another devil's child  
Crazy babies in a world of their own  
I am a crazy babe  
You'd better leave me alone tonight

Nobody's gonna change me (change me)  
I'm gonna do it 'till I die  
Nobody's gonna tame me (tame me)  
So you better not try

Walk that walk  
Talk that talk  
Walk that walk  
Talk that talk.

Crazy...Babies

No use talking 'bout if they'll last  
Where they're goin' or about their past  
They're just the result of our society  
So frustrated just like you and me

Nobody's gonna change them (change them)  
They've gone over the top  
Nobody's gonna tame them (tame them)  
They're never gonna stop

Walk that walk  
Talk that talk  
Walk that walk  
Talk that talk

Ahsoka couldn't help but dance to the song as she switched with her tools during the repairs. It was extremely catchy, the crunchy and meaty guitar riffs brought a smile to her face.

"Dammit, Ed ! My socks have been knocked off ! You weren't kidding about this being a good pick ! Who's the main guitarist ?"

"The main guitarist is a new guy named Zakk Wylde. He's as good as Randy Rhoads and Jake E. Lee. I foresee a great future for him and Ozzy. This was just plain fun ! We need more songs like this."

After another half-hour, Ahsoka had finished the repairs. Burt came to inspect her work. She shut off the radio when she noticed him.

"I keep saying it, but I'm really glad to have you back with us. You were greatly missed while you were caring for your second kid. I'm happy for you and Lux that everything is working out. You haven't lost your touch at all. Great work, as always. But tell me... how can you work with that loud music playing ? You're not distracted ?"

"I'm used to it, boss. It's mostly just background music, something that keeps me alert while I do what I do best. Some of these songs are just amazing ! I've never asked you, Burt... What kind of music do you enjoy the most ?"

Burt raised an eyebrow, not expecting her question. "Well... I do enjoy some country, a little bit of rock, jazz & blues... A little bit of everything, as you can see."

"It seems you have a more varied taste in music than I do. I mean, I'll listen to Lux's symphonic music when it's playing, but I'm guessing rock music reaches out to me like no other genre. I can't quite place my finger on it why, it just does." She checked her watch. It already Noon. Time for her lunch break. "I'll be back by 1, Burt. See you in a bit."

She stopped at a Subway restaurant and ordered herself a 6" Steak & Cheese sub. 10 minutes later, she was done and was cruising around for a bit before heading back to work.

By the end of her day, she went to pick up Mina and Daniel from the daycare. The kids were always looking forward to recount their day to their parents on the way back home. If anything, Mina had definitely learnt from her lesson since she threw a tantrum in public. Daniel was still learning while observing his sister. His vocabulary kept increasing day by day. Like Mina, he likely inherited his parents' intellect. He would catch on quick when Lux offered him new puzzles to solve. One of Mina's favorite pastimes aside playing with Obi, was playing checkers with her mother. Eventually, under the tutelage of Lux, she would "graduate" to chess. Over the coming weekend, Ahsoka & Lux would be invited to Burt & Linda's place for a gaming session of the tabletop Role-Playing Game, Dungeons & Dragons.

 **The kids are definitely easy to please, for the most part. Over the next chapter, we'll cover Ahsoka & Lux's experience with Dungeon & Dragons. Expect some LOTR references and a fair bit of 4th Wall Breaking. Well... we have 4 days to go before Star Wars Rebels' highly anticipated finale. How will it end ? I really hope Ahsoka survives Vader. Don't hesitate to leave a review.**


	13. Dungeons and Togrutas

**Friday, September 30th**

Ahsoka was busy installing new tires on several cars, while Burt and Will were working on the interiors. At one point, Burt was going to his office and unintentionally brushed his arm against Ahsoka's rear lek. His eyes grew wide as he waved his hand in front of her face to get her attention.

She looked up to him. "Something wrong ?"

"Can we talk in my office, please ?" He pointed to his door.

She closed his office's door and took a seat. She expected herself to be in major trouble. He paced around his desk, trying to compose himself. "Th... that... that...That ain't hair !" He pointed at her headtails.

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "Uh... you're right, boss. It's not hair."

He chuckled at first, then began to laugh hysterically. "Hah ! I knew there was something about you ! No hairstylist could ever devise all those patterns on your head. No, no, no ! You're... you're an alien... aren't you ?"

She nodded weakly. "So what now ? Will you fire me because I'm different ?"

He burst out in laughter. "Fire you ?! Are you crazy ?! No, no, no. Hah ! Oh, I love this ! Burt's extra-talented mechanic is a freaking alien ! I'm definitely sticking out of the crowd with this. No wonder you're so good at fixing stuff. You probably fixed a bunch of spaceships wherever you're from, huh ?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I've fixed plenty of starfighters and speeders in my past life. You're not going to make a big deal out of this, right ? The last thing I need is to get the attention of scientists. So now you know our secret : Lux & I are from another Galaxy. Can you keep this between ourselves, please ?" She pleaded to him.

He nodded. "Regardless of where you came from, you're the best damn mechanic I ever worked with and I wouldn't change a thing ! Consider your secret safe with me, Miss."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Burt. So, can I go back to work ?"

"I'd like to ask you something before you go ?"

She raised an eye marking. "Ok. What is it ?"

"Those "things" on your head... can I touch one for a moment ?"

She smiled. "Sure. Just be gentle, they're highly sensitive to touch."

Burt reached out and held her right lek. "Wow ! It's so soft and warm."

"Lux enjoys them, for sure. He knows how to manipulate them when he gives me massages. There's really nothing else like it." She explained.

He smiled back at her. "All right, we've got this bit cleared up. Get back to work."

"Yes, sir !" She waved to him as she stepped out of his office.

After she finished her duties, Burt came to her. "Don't forget about our gaming session tomorrow, right ? And bring the kids along. Travis will entertain them well enough."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world, Burt. I'll see you tomorrow." She waved goodbye to him as she reached in her purse for her car keys.

After having picked up Mina and Daniel from the daycare, they met with Lux and Obi at home. Obi was so excited to see everyone, her tail was wagging like crazy.

Ahsoka entered and placed her purse on the counter, sighing loudly.

"Rough day ?" Lux asked.

"It wasn't too bad, Lux. Kayla's no longer the only one to be in the know about "us". Burt and Will know too, both have vowed they wouldn't "spill the beans" to anyone." She explained.

Lux stood by her side. "How did they find out ?"

Ahsoka reached for a bottle of Coke and poured it in a glass. "Burt accidentally brushed against my rear lek while I was working on changing several tires. At that point, I knew I couldn't pull the "it's a unique hairstyle" card anymore. He even asked me if he could touch one of my lekku."

"Did you let him ?"

She nodded. "Yes. I figured there was no harm in allowing it. He commented on how soft and warm it felt." She made her way to the living room and sat on the couch. The kids were offered juice and fruits for their snack. Obi hopped on the couch and stood between Lux and Ahsoka, trying to get them to pet her.

Mina glanced at the tarantula cages. She noticed something odd. Poopers the Pinktoe was on her back under a thick sheet of web. "Mommy ! Poopers is on her back ! She looks stuck !"

She took a quick gander. "It doesn't look like she's stuck, Mina. What in the world is she doing ?" She took a closer look. "Wait a minute. Are those mating hooks I see on its first pair of legs ? That would explain things ! He is a boy after all."

"So, what does that mean, Mommy ?" Mina asked.

Ahsoka quickly reached out for her book and searched for the brief bit on mating. "After a male matures, he has roughly a year or so to find a mate before he dies of old age. Females, on the other hand, tend to live several decades more." She looks at her Pinktoe in disappointment. "So I'll have to replace him eventually."

Lux looked at his watch. "Well, it's 5:30 pm. Since it's Friday, why don't we order something for dinner ?" He looked to his children. "Do you kids have any suggestions ?"

Mina quickly came up with one. "Can we have pizza, Daddy ?"

Ahsoka smirked at her daughter's suggestion. "Seems you read my mind, Mina. What do you say, Daniel ?"

Daniel simply smiled and nodded happily.

Lux quickly reached for the phone and ordered two pizzas, an all-meat for himself and Ahsoka, a small works for the children. Within half an hour, their dinner was delivered. After the delivery boy was paid, Lux made a beeline for his little wine collection. "'Soka, are you in the mood for a bit of wine ?" He asked her.

"Just one bottle, Lux. Just pick anything."

Lux grabbed a bottle at random. "Woodbridge Merlot ? Why not, you can never go wrong with a Californian wine." He poured a bit in both glasses while Ahsoka was busy cutting Daniel's pizza in tiny bite-sized pieces.

"Tomorrow, we're all going to Burt and Linda's place. Myself and your father have been invited to play a game called Dungeons and Dragons with them. The two of you will get along quite well with their son, Travis. I'm sure of it."

Mina's face lit up at the mention of Travis. "Yay ! We're going to have so much fun, Mommy."

After the meal, the kids were offered a bit of ice cream for dessert. The pizza leftovers would provide several meals for the weekend. After the kids were put to bed, Ahsoka got a lekku massage by Lux. He took his time to work his way from the top to the bottom. He even stroked her montrals, which brought upon her much pleasure.

 **Saturday, October 1st**

The entire family arrived at Burt's home around 1:30 pm. As Burt and Linda began to set up the playing field, Travis took Mina and Daniel to his room and showed them all his toys. They ended up playing with hand puppets.

Burt lead Ahsoka and Lux to their spots. They looked around, the playfield looked like a dungeon, with doorways, treasure chests, creatures and traps. A character sheet containing vital information such as Hit Points, Endurance, Constitution, Strength, Charisma, Dexterity, Wisdom and Intelligence was offered to each player.

Burt arrived with loads of snacks such as chips, pretzels, cheese sticks and plenty of soft drinks. "Ok, so we've got everything ready to roll. I will be serving as the Dungeon Master. The first step is to create a character."

Ahsoka picked out a female Elf figurine. "I'm going to be an Elf woman. I'll name her... Arwen."

Lux picked out a male Knight figurine. "I like this one. I'll name him... Aragorn."

Burt raised his eyebrows. "Seems we have a couple of Lord of The Rings fans here. I can't blame you, it's a great story."

" _If only you knew we actually took part in their victory over the Dark Lord Sauron, Burt._ " Ahsoka thought to herself, smirking.

Linda chose a male wizard. "To keep up with our theme, I'll name this fellow... Gandalf."

Burt chose a Hobbit-like figurine. "Guess this guy's name will be... Frodo."

Burt began to narrate the story. "10 years ago, the city of Monmouth was attacked by a vicious dragon named Glaurung. He hoarded the treasures to his cave. Our heroes must now confront the dragon and reclaim the treasures."

"Could had been named Smaug instead." Ahsoka quipped.

Ahsoka was the first to make a move. She rolled the dice. She got a 3. She would move 3 spaces inside the dragon's den.

Lux followed suit and was allowed to move 5 spaces. It brought him dangerously close to a goblin. Linda moved her wizard and had him cast a spell from a distance. The goblin's hit points was 4. The roll of the dice decided that the spell would cause 5 damage points, defeating the goblin. Linda was awarded 2 experience points for her victory. Burt's character explored to the side towards an unguarded treasure chest.

Ahsoka's second move allowed her to initiate battle with a goblin. The roll of the dice dictated that she would inflict 2 damage points to the goblin. The goblin would counterattack inflicting 1 damage point on Ahsoka's character. Lux attempted to help her out, but he ended up on a trapped tile, draining most of his Hit Points. Burt came to the rescue and offered a healing potion, renewing 10 Hit Points to Lux. In time, Ahsoka managed to defeat the goblin, earning 5 experience points, increasing her Strength by 2, her Constitution by 1 and her Intelligence by 1. She wrote down the new attributes on her character sheet.

About an hour later, they fought Glaurung. The battle was really intense. 50 Hit Points was a LOT to whittle down. In the end, only Ahsoka remained alive, with 3 Hit Points remaining.

 **Warning : 4th Wall Break Incoming**

Ahsoka turned to you, the reader. "That was a close one, wasn't it ? Phew. Glad I wasn't killed."

Lux looked at her with curiosity. "'Soka, who are you talking to ?"

"The readers !"

Lux looked around. "Readers ? Where ?"

"Right there." She points at the screen.

Lux turned. "Oh ! Hello !" He waved.

 **End of 4th Wall Break**

Back upstairs, Mina and Daniel were playing with Travis' toy cars. The three children were having so much fun, they temporarily forgot about their parents.

"I can race faster than you, Travis !" Mina pushed the car around the track field, knocking Daniel's car out of the track.

"No ! I'm faster ! I have a motorcycle !" Travis argued.

Suddenly, Daniel was hungry. "Mina... where's Mommy and Daddy ? I'm hungry."

"They're with Travis' Mommy and Daddy. They're playing a game too !" Mina answered.

"Wanna go down ? Ok, we'll go see them." Travis lead the two Bonteris to where the parents were cleaning up after their game.

Daniel tugged at his mother's shirt. "Mommy ? I'm hungry."

She offered him a couple of pretzels. "Here you go, sweetie. Take your time to chew, ok ?"

The children soon hovered around the pretzel bowl. They were offered water or juice since the pretzels were fairly salty.

By the end of the evening, they all said their goodbyes and were heading back home.

 **I'm not sure where I'll go from this point. I definitely want to explore Ahsoka and Kayla's friendship some more. I'm sorry for the short chapter. Feel free to review.**


	14. A Shopping Spree and protecting a Friend

**Saturday, October 8th**

7 am sharp. a knock was heard on the door. Had Lux and the kids not being already up, it would have been unanswered. While Mina and Daniel were eating breakfast, Lux rushed to the door.

"Kayla ? Wow, you're certainly up bright and early. What can we do for you ?"

Kayla entered. "I came to get Ahsoka, buddy. We're going shopping today."

Lux could only grin at the thought. He knows all too well that Ahsoka _hates_ shopping. Especially for new clothes. "Well, you'll need to rouse her up from her sleep. She didn't even flinch when I woke up to take care of the kids."

"Oh, leave that to me. She'll be up and ready in record time." Kayla races to Ahsoka and Lux's room. She is completely covered in blankets. Kayla pulls the blankets, revealing her friend in her pajamas, she also opens up the curtains and the sun's light enters the room. "Rise and shine, darling."

The only sound coming from Ahsoka is a disgruntled groan. "Kayla ? What ar- Oh... I remember. I agreed to go shopping with you today. 5 more minutes, ok ?" She covers herself again in the blankets.

"No, no, no. We're wasting valuable shopping time. Come on, get to it." Kayla literally drags her out of bed, which Ahsoka promptly crashes on the floor. "Oof !"

She suddenly sprints up, shaking her head several times. "Ok, you got me. I'm up, I'm up !" She groggily reaches for her clothes of the day in her drawers.

"You got your clothes for the day, that's a start. Now, you should go take your shower. Come on, move it, move it, move it !" Kayla barks.

Ahsoka gives her a glare. "Who do you think you are ? Lieutenant Harris ?!"

Kayla quickly catches the reference and plays along. She's holding an imaginary megaphone. "Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up, dirtbag !"

"I'll be done later on in the morning." Ahsoka teases, using a modified line used by Cadet Mahoney.

"BE DONE IN 15 MINUTES !" Kayla snarls playfully in response.

"Yeah, you definitely have his character down to an art. It's a good thing I wasn't in that movie, I would've punched his lights out long before it ended." Ahsoka races to the bathroom, chuckling.

About half an hour pass, Ahsoka is still in the bathroom. Kayla walks over to the door and knocks. "Done yet, darling ?"

"Almost done. Brushing my teeth and I'll be out."

Several minutes later, Ahsoka finally steps out. She's dressed in a black tank top and jeans. The blue stripes on her lekku really shine in the sunlight. Kayla actually notices for the first time how her facial markings changed. On her cheeks, there used to be a small arrow-like pattern, now the upper part dashes upward underneath her eyes. Hey eye markings have also grew longer, they almost meet up with her cheek markings. The diamond pattern on her forehead have also enlarged.

"Woah ! You look even better than before, darling. Those patterns... wow !"

Ahsoka nods. "Yeah, I had no idea my marking would change so much ! It's all good, though. Lux keeps telling me how much he enjoys looking at them. He tells me it makes me look even more exotic than ever !" She quickly goes to her bedroom and secretly stashes her lightsabers in her purse. " _I don't know why, but I'm getting a strange hunch that I might actually need them today. Here's hoping I won't need to use them._ "

Ahsoka is about to reach for her car keys but Kayla slaps her hand away. "No, no, no. Never mind the car. It's beautiful outside. We'll walk."

She rolls her eyes in response. "Fine. Just don't expect me to carry a load of new clothes around, just a few shirts and pants, nothing more !" She warns.

"Good enough for me, let's get going." Before the ladies head out the door, Ahsoka turns to Lux. "I'm not really sure when I'll be back... you'll be fine looking after the kids, right ?"

"Piece of cake, 'Soka. You go on and enjoy your day." He waves goodbye to her.

After about 45 minutes of walking, they arrive at a clothing store for women. As they enter, all of the staff and clients do a double-take when they notice the Togruta. " _Here we go again, time to pull the "It's a unique hairstyle" card once more if they ask._ "

A clerk approaches them. "Hello, ladies. How may I be of help to you ?"

"We're just browsing, thanks. We'll let you know if we need anything." Ahsoka looks around the jeans section. She has several pairs, but they get used a lot during her work at the garage. She sees a pair in navy blue. She decides to bring it with her to the changing room. She tries them on. They fit like a glove. She steps out to ask Kayla's opinion on them. "What do you think ? Do they make my butt look big ?"

Kayla laughs in response. "Nonsense, darling ! You look fantastic in them. They're perfect for you." She leans closer to friend, whispering to her montrals. "Besides, the navy blue compliments the stripes on your headtails beautifully."

She also chooses a pair of grey colored jeans. Like the navy blue ones, they fit her quite well. As she steps out and shows off to Kayla, the latter shakes her head. "No, no, no. Grey isin't you, maybe some light blue ones, like these here." Kayla offers her yet another pair of jeans to try on.

After about a couple of hours of trying various pairs of jeans, Ahsoka settles on two pairs, one being the first navy blue she tried and the light blue Kayla had offered her a while back. After ringing her purchase, she looked at the time, it was 10:30 am.

They walked over to Times Square and stopped at Paul's Music Shop. Ahsoka hadn't gone there since she saw Iron Maiden over 3 years ago. They browsed the Heavy Metal and Hard Rock sections, in case anything might interest them. Of course, the second Ahsoka noticed King Diamond's "Them", she grabbed it without a second thought. She also loaded up on Ozzy Osbourne's non-Black Sabbath works, such as "Blizzard of Ozz", "Diary of a Madman", "Bark at The Moon" and the recent "No Rest for The Wicked".

As she looked further, she saw a disc with comic-book artwork. "What's this ?" She picked it up and gave a closer look. "Surfing With The Alien ? Huh ? Joe Satriani ?"

Paul approached her. "Joe Satriani is a guitar prodigy, miss. I take it you've likely heard solo instrumental works by Ronnie Montrose and Yngwie Malmsteen ?"

Ahsoka nods, smiling. "Oh, I have. I'm familiar with Malmsteen, Montrose a bit less, but what I've heard is great ! So Satriani is similar to those two ?"

Paul sets up his stereo and puts a copy of his own. "Listen for yourself."

The first 12 seconds was just people talking randomly, then the music appeared, taking both Kayla and Ahsoka by surprise. By the time the track ended, both quickly grabbed copies of their own. "Yeah, I'm sold. If that track was just an appetizer for the rest of the album, no doubt the rest will knock my socks off !" Ahsoka exclaimed.

Kayla was so embarrassed. "I can't believe I never heard of this guy until now, this is a true master ! Definitely someone to follow."

By the time the women decided to stop for lunch, it was almost noon.

Kayla guided Ahsoka into a pub called Wings R Us. "We'll stop here for lunch, ok ? Just you wait until you try their Hot Wings. By far the best in the city, bar none !"

Ahsoka's mouth watered at the thought of meat. "Chicken wings, huh ? Sure, why not. Not the most filling or the most nutritious of meals, but I'm actually in the mood for junk food right now.

As they entered, Ahsoka caught on to the song "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC playing in the background. "Do they always play classics like these ?"

"Oh yeah, the manager is a good friend of mine. She's a crazy metal head like us. Just wait till you meet her, you'll like her." Kayla chose a table for the two of them. They placed their bags underneath the table, keeping a close eye on them. The music then changed to "Raise Your Hands" by Bon Jovi. Ahsoka was definitely enjoying her experience here.

Suddenly a waitress walked up to them. "Kayla ! It's been forever ! How have you been ? And who's your friend with the zany hairstyle ?"

Kayla looks up. "Shirley ! It has been a while. I've been busy, but good." Kayla motions to Ahsoka. "Shirley Samson, meet Ahsoka Bonteri. She's from Chile."

Shirley looks surprised. "Ha ha ha ! Wow ! Chile, huh ? You certainly came a long way ! No doubt you must be a descendant of Incas of old. Those tattoos on your face, that is incredible ! And your hair ! I don't know how you manage to do that, but it looks seriously awesome !" Shirley shakes Ahsoka's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Shirley. Yeah, the hair is a unique hairstyle. I call it... the headtail !" She winks at Kayla, which Kayla winks back.

Shirley takes hold of her notepad. "So, what can I get you two ?"

"The usual, Shirley. A platter of your Hot Wings." Kayla answers.

"Now... Ahsoka was it ? I don't know what your endurance on spice is, so let me warn you, these wings are really strong. We use cayenne pepper as well as Tabasco sauce in the mix. Are you up for it ?" Shirley warns.

Ahsoka simply nods. "I'm willing to try anything at least once. My husband is a gourmet of the worst kind, and his adventurous nature with food rubbed off on me."

Shirley scribbles on her notepad. "Ok. Your beverages ? Water... or would you prefer a pitcher of beer ?"

Ahsoka was quick to respond. "What type of beer do you have ?"

Shirley thinks for a few seconds. "We have... Budweiser, Coors, Miller, Samuel Adams, Corona Extra, Stella Artois and Heineken."

Ahsoka turns to Kayla. "Miller ?"

Kayla nods. "A pitcher of Miller, please."

Shirley finishes to write up details on her notepad. "Ok. So a platter of Hot Wings and a pitcher of Miller. Perfect. Allow me a few minutes to bring the pitcher. The Hot Wings will be ready in about 20 minutes. All right ladies, if you'll excuse me."

"Unless I'm mistaken, your friend Shirley is the manager ? And she's also a waitress ?"

"That's right, darling. She's a real workaholic. She won't stop unless they literally drag her out of the pub. Friendly girl, isin't she ?" The ladies' attention went back to the music. "Catch the Rainbow" by Rainbow was now playing.

Ahsoka closed her eyes as she heard Ronnie James Dio's voice. His voice simply brought upon her immense bliss. It was simply beautiful. The current rock ballad relaxed her a great deal. "Oh Kayla, this is SO beautiful ! I really need to look into Rainbow some more."

Kayla seemed surprised. "How could you tell it was Rainbow ?"

"Ritchie Blackmore's playing was a dead giveaway. I simply compared it to the style he used with Deep Purple, I could tell it was him." She was becoming quite knowledgeable about all these artists.

"You're quickly catching on, Ahsoka. You know, ever since I met you, you've really taken in to our culture." Kayla remarks.

Ahsoka's headtails darkened for a moment. "Well, we Togrutas are highly adaptable to other cultures. It's no wonder our species has been spread all over the Galaxy."

Shirley quickly appears and delivers the pitcher of beer. There was enough for at least two full glasses for both.

They both filled up their glasses. "So... wanna make a toast ?" Ahsoka offers.

"A toast to what, darling ?" Kayla was amused by the unexpected move.

"Oh, to friendship... and a damn good meal ! How about that ?"

Kayla could only smile in return. "You're really talking my language, you know that ?"

They clinked their glasses together before taking a sip. Miller wasn't exactly a grand beer. It didn't need to be. It was simple... and it was good !

Ahsoka felt so thankful to have a friend like Kayla. She was everything that Barriss wasn't.

10 minutes later, their wings were offered in a basket. Kayla reached in before Ahsoka. "I'm hoping you'll enjoy them. Remember to keep plenty of beer. It'll cool you off between bites."

"Are they really that hot ? Let's find out." Ahsoka reaches into the basket and tries one. "Tasty for sure... but hot ? I'm not sensing any major heat yet."

Kayla chuckled. "Give it a minute, darling. You'll need these Kleenex too, they really do a job on the congestion." Kayla places the Kleenex box besides the basket.

Suddenly, Ahsoka coughed, waving her hand in front of her mouth. "Ohhhh ! Hot Hot Hot ! You weren't kidding about them being strong ! Whew !" She quickly reached for a Kleenex and blew her nose.

20 minutes later, after a bit of struggle from both, they managed to empty the basket. However, they paid the price for ingesting such Capsaicin-rich foods. Their lips were on fire. By the time Ahsoka went in to the public bathroom, she unloaded a series of loud farts. " _Thank the Force Anakin isin't around to see me like this. He would have a field day with me._ " By the time she relieved herself, she also let out a loud burp. She was thankful she was alone. Kayla soon entered the bathroom and almost bumped into her.

"Goodness Gracious ! It stinks in here. Tell me that wasn't you." Kayla looked to her friend while pinching her nose.

"I tried to hold it in until I peed, but no, it just went out on its own. Just like that. Remind me to not gorge on these for a good while. Don't get me wrong, the wings were amazing. But the side effects... well..." Before she could say another word, she farted again. "Kayla, I'm so sorry. It just happened."

Kayla snickered in response. "Don't worry about it, just try not to pass too much gas on the sidewalk."

Ahsoka crossed her arms and glared at her friend. "Very funny. Very funny."

After several minutes, they paid their meal and stepped out of the pub. They made their way to another women's clothing store. This time, Ahsoka was going to look for new shirts. There was a huge amount to choose from. She was amazed at herself that she spent most of the afternoon in that store. She was quite undecided on several shirts. With a bit of prodding from Kayla, she finally chose a couple of shirts. One was a black sweatshirt with "Hard Rock Cafe" written on it in white. The other was a navy blue turtleneck which fit her perfectly, but it was quite a struggle to shove her montrals and lekku through.

Afterwards, they stopped at Paula's pet shop to pass a bit of time. Ahsoka was curious if Paula had gotten some new tarantulas in. She had acquired 4 new ones ! She saw a huge rusty red spider in a container. She noticed Paula walking into the sales area. "Hey Paula, this one is new, right ?"

"Hello Ms. Bonteri. Yes, this is a new one. It's called a King Baboon. Imported from the dry savannah of Kenya. You know what's really neat about this particular spider ?" She asks.

"You tell me, Paula. It's the first time I see this one." Ahsoka leaned to get a closer look.

"Don't get too close. This one has quite a nasty temper. And it hisses too ! Watch." She brings a straw close to the spider. It quickly turns around to face the straw. It rears up and does a hissing noise barely audible. Paula brings the straw closer. The spider reacts by striking the straw and biting it !

"Hmm. I'd take it this one is definitely hands off." Ahsoka turns her attention to the others. "What about these ?"

"The blue one with white stripes on its legs is called a Zebra Tarantula. They're native to Central America. Not very common nowadays because of import restrictions in countries such as Guatemala and Nicaragua. This one here looks similar to the Zebra Tarantula, yet its markings are somewhat different. It's also much more aggressive than the first. It's labeled as a Skeleton Tarantula. They're native to Guyana, South America. Not very common at this point. This last one is definitely interesting. If you look closely, it has a pretty pink color on its head while the body is grey to brown. It was brought to me as a Chilean Rose. Apparently, it was caught on the borders of the Atacama Desert in Chile, South America." Paula explained.

Kayla decides to change the subject. "These are really neat. But don't you have any new snakes... other than that irate rattler that nobody in their right mind would buy ?"

"Actually, I have a couple of wild-caught Ball Pythons. They're about 4', give or take. Definitely smaller than your boa constrictor." Paula answered.

Kayla shakes her head. "Too small for my tastes. Thanks anyways. Well... since I'm here, I could buy a rat for Hershey. He hasn't been fed in over a month."

"One rat, coming right up !" Paula reaches into the rat cage and pulls out a large male. "I think this big fella will satisfy Hershey." Paula puts it in a cardboard box and places several elastic bands around it so it won't be able to run off.

Kayla turns to Ahsoka. "Do you need to buy anything while you're here, darling ?"

Ahsoka shakes her head. "No. My exotics aren't due to be fed. And besides, there's still some mealworms left in the fridge."

They left the pet shop and went towards Kayla's apartment. Kayla took a path unknown to Ahsoka. "Are you sure it's safe over these small alleys ? We could run into trouble."

"Don't worry, Ahsoka. It's still too early before most major criminals step out. As long as we're quick. We'll be fine." Kayla lead her through a series of deserted alleys. It seemed safe enough, but Ahsoka felt a knot in her stomach. And it wasn't a possible indigestion from the hot wings they ate back at noon.

As they passed through an alley, they arrived face to face with a group of bikers.

The leader of the group was a muscular man, had a small mustache and wore a headband on his head. "Well, well, well ! Lookie what we got here, boys ! Fresh pussy !"

The Force alerted Ahsoka to their intentions. "Oh, kriff ! Kayla, these guys are going to rape us unless we fight back ! Can you fight ?"

Kayla backed away to a wall. "No. Not well at all. And I don't think this rat we're carrying will scare them off !"

Ahsoka sighed. "Ok. Stay where you are. I'll handle this !"

"Are you crazy ?! You'll be killed ! There's no way you can fight them off all at once !" Kayla protested.

"You think you're tough, do ya ?! Heh. Dumb bitch. Come on and get what's coming to ya !" The leader taunted at her.

"This is my only warning to all of you. Why don't you go take your little joyride elsewhere before you get hurt ? I'm not going to hurt any of you if you back off now." Ahsoka warned.

The leader just ignored her. "Pffft ! You think you can take us, huh ? Come on over, I'll fuck you up good !" He made grabbing motions towards her.

She closed her eyes for a moment. "If that's the way you'll be, boys." She reached into her purse and took out her lightsabers.

Kayla's eyes grew wide. "You're going to fight them with... flashlights ?! You're crazy !"

"They're not flashlights, Kayla. These are a Jedi's weapon. They're called... Lightsabers !" She ignited them.

She let out a battle cry as she leapt towards the bikers. One of them had a switchblade, another had a metal pole. The leader had a pistol on him. One of them tried to tackle her from behind. She quickly whipped around, grabbed him by the shoulder and tossed him into an empty garbage can. The one with the pole tried to take a stab at her. She merely cleaved his pole in two using her lightsabers. She then Force-pushed him into a brick wall, knocking him out.

The leader took out his pistol and aimed at her. "Let's see if you're bulletproof, freak !"

Ahsoka leapt towards him and held him in a Force Choke hold for a moment. She used her lightsaber to disable his pistol. She then released her hold over him.

The leader regained his breath. "Fuck this shit ! I'm outta here !" He ran so quick he was barely a shadow in seconds.

Ahsoka caught her breath and shut off her lightsabers. Kayla was at a loss for words. When she finally gained her courage to speak, she struggled. "That... That... That was AWESOME ! How did you do all of that ? Oh my God ! So you had those laser swords ALL ALONG ?!"

"I try not to use them, Kayla. They're only as a last resort. As you see, these fools weren't listening, so I had to put them in their place. When I fought in the Clone Wars, there had been a few instances where I was FORCED to kill. During my second meeting with Lux. I was dragged with him to the cold planet of Carlac. Then, I passed as his betrothed when he met with the group of Mandalorian mercenaries called Death Watch. My cover was eventually blown. Myself and Lux were both brought into Pre Vizla's tent. He was about to kill me with his Darksaber. My faithful astromech, R2-D2, managed to create a diversion while handing me my lightsabers. Lux pushed Vizla off balance to give me a chance. I'm still not sure how I pulled it off, as I was tied up by 4 Death Watch guards. I was able to free myself from their bonds and decapitated all 4 of them in one swipe of my lightsabers !"

Kayla gasped. "Goodness, that must've been intense."

Ahsoka nods. "It was, but we lived through it. Well... shall we move on to your apartment ?"

"Let's get moving. And thank you for saving my life ! I owe you one."

She shook her head. "You owe me nothing, Kayla. It was simply the right thing to do."

About half an hour later, they finally arrived at Kayla's apartment. Being somewhat shaken by her battle with the bikers, she chose to sleep at Kayla's place. She called up Lux to let him know. As expected, Lux had things well in hand. He would hear of her encounter on the next day.

 **Woo hoo ! I've been thinking about that "fight" for the longest time, even back in my previous story. Is anyone feeling a Déja Vu from her encounter with the Inquisitors on Rebels ? That was my intention. Cookies to those that catch the Harris and Mahoney references. Over the next chapter, we're going to speed things up a bit. We'll see Mina's first day at the preschool. It should be interesting. Feel free to leave a review.**


	15. Mina and Travis meet again

**Saturday, July 1st, 1989**

A bit over 5 years since their unexpected crash-landing, Lux and Ahsoka had adapted quite well to a civilian lifestyle. Both had managed to land successful jobs while balancing their duties as parents. Their two children had their moments, but overall, things went relatively smooth as they gained experience in dealing with them. Mina was almost 4 years old, she had calmed down a fair bit. As for Daniel, whom was going to turn 2 later this month, he was still a handful every once in a while.

Given that Mina was very quick in learning, the couple thought it best to have her attend preschool a year ahead of usual time. So by the time she would graduate from high school, she'd be only 17 instead of the usual 18. If Daniel were to show the same quickness and eagerness to learn, he would follow along his sister's footsteps two years later. Ahsoka would be lying if she said she wasn't inspired by Burt and Linda's decision involving their son, Travis. He was also gifted with a willingness to learn rarely seen in children of his age. So they thought to enroll him in preschool a year ahead of typical schedule. They felt he would have no trouble keeping up with the 5 year olds that would make up the majority of the group.

As the Bonteri family woke up, the typical Saturday morning routine was to cook breakfast for the kids. Usually, they'd be offered the typical breakfast cereals such as Shreddies, Raisin Bran or even Frosted Flakes. On Saturday morning, they'd be offered eggs, slices of bacon and maybe some toast if they felt like it. It was rounded up with a glass of chocolate milk, the kids' favorite liquid treat up to this point. Once breakfast was ready, the kids would bring their food on the table in the living room. They'd eat up while watching various cartoons on TV. Anything from Looney Tunes was always a hit with the kids. From Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Roadrunner, etc… Other cartoons the kids enjoyed was Alf, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Smurfs. Over the weekdays, their favorite late afternoon cartoons were Chip 'n Dale's Rescue Rangers, Duck Tales and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

It was close to 10 am. The family had eaten their breakfast and the kids needed to burn the excess of energy they were filled with. Ahsoka quickly glanced at Obi, their Golden Retriever, whom was just lying on the floor like an oversized pancake. She felt a proverbial light bulb appear above her head.

She knelt before her dog. "Obi… do you want to…" Obi, quickly rose up, her tail wagging. She would walk up to Ahsoka and lick her on the face. "Do you want to… go for a walk ?" Obi reacted by barking excitedly, walking around her master. "You do, huh ? Ok. Wanna go… for a ride ?" Obi ran to the door, watching her harness and leash intently. She sat by the door, waiting for the imminent departure. She called up to her children, who were playing upstairs. "Kids, do you want to come with me to Central Park ? Obi's coming along."

The two hurried down the stairs, clinging to the railing to avoid crashing to the floor. Last time it happened, Mina had hurt her left montral, she felt intense pain for several hours. Thankfully, her mother was there to soothe her. Lux was in the kitchen, reading the newspaper. "Lux, the kids and I are taking Obi on a walk at Central Park, do you want to come as well ?"

Lux rose his head, lowering the newspaper. "Sure, give me a moment and I'll be with you all." Within moments, Lux had gathered his wallet and jacket and was with them.

They stood in the driveway, thinking which car they'd take. They chose Ahsoka's, since Daniel's car seat was already set up. About 20 minutes later, they parked near the entrance of the site in question. As everyone got out, Obi was promptly attached with her harness and leash.

As they made their way through the trails, they weren't the only one with dogs. Some had Poodles, others German Shepherds, others had some relatively exotic breeds at the time such as Standard Schnauzer, Lhasa Apso, last but definitely not least, there was an elderly couple with a Yorkshire Terrier, one of the smallest breeds available.

For the most part, no one really took notice of the family, but there were some less gentle people muttering "Freaks" and "Weirdos" as they passed them. Mina seemed somewhat disturbed by those remarks. Ahsoka had told her that not all people were good and friendly, some would only look to hurt others, and they would need to be avoided at all costs.

Thankfully for Ahsoka's connection with the Force, she was able to read people's minds and figure out their intentions before they acted. It's what saved her and Kayla from being raped by a group of bikers last fall. When she told her story to Lux, he was quite shaken by what had occurred. He was hoping that this wouldn't blow their cover as being from another galaxy. Fortunately, the biker that attempted to report the incident to the police was not taken seriously, since he was known to abuse both cocaine and alcohol. He was written off as being high and drunk. When he tried to press the issue, he ended up locked in a cell overnight. After he was out, he began to believe that he must have been high again, since neither his friends remembered what really happened.

After 45 minutes of constant walking, they sat on a bench to take a much needed break. Lux recognized a man with a Golden Retriever of his own, passing by. "Hey, Mr. MacAdams ! Fancy seeing you here, huh ?"

"Bonteri ? How about that ? These must be your wife and children." He turned to his dog. "Benson. Lie down, boy."

Lux rose up from the bench. "That's correct. Allow me to introduce. This is Ahsoka, my wife. This little lady here is Mina, she'll be turning 4 soon. This little guy is Daniel, he's turning 2 in a couple of weeks. And that is Obi. She's a good dog. She prevented thieves from stealing my wife's car a couple years ago."

Mr. MacAdams only smiled. "What a family ! Seems you're doing well with the wife and kids. If you'll excuse me, I need to keep going. It's been nice to meet all of you. Benson. Up, boy. Come on, let's go."

Ahsoka turned to Lux. "He seems nice. Your new boss ?"

Lux shook his head. "Not quite, he is the head of Human Resources at Apple. Basically, he lead the interview, which thankfully, went in my favor at the end." He turned his attention to the kids. "It's almost noon, why don't we have lunch around here ? We could have hot dogs… or burgers if you're in the mood ?"

Daniel just blurted the first thing that came to mind. "Ice cream, Daddy. Can we have ice cream ?"

Lux chuckled. His son definitely took the love for sweets from his mother. "Sure, but after we have lunch, you ok with that, little buddy ?"

As they walked around, looking for a food vendor, none could be found. Lux had an idea, one that would please the kids all too well. "Ok, everybody. There's not a hot dog vendor in sight. So we'll do the next best thing. There is a McDonald's restaurant on the other side of the street. I can get you kids a Happy Meal with a toy and an additional Ice Cream cone, ok ?" Lux knelt to his daughter. "Mina, you go first, tell me what you want."

"Hmm. A hamburger, Daddy. With fries and a juice. I want my ice cream… chocolate !"

Lux nodded. "Ok. A hamburger Happy Meal for you… and a chocolate ice cream cone later on. Good. Very good." He turned to his son. "Ok, Daniel. It's your turn, What do you want, little buddy ?"

Daniel thought for a second. "Oh. Yeah ! The chicken nuggets, Daddy. Fries and juice. I want my ice cream… vanilla !"

"Ok, little buddy. A chicken nugget Happy Meal… and a vanilla ice cream cone. Got it."

Lux turned to Ahsoka. "'Soka ? What can I get you ?"

"Oh, I guess I'll go for a Quarter Pounder combo. Try not to forget to tell them not to put any veggies. You know, us Togrutas can't handle them."

Lux nodded. "Quarter Pounder Combo sans veggies. Got it. What will you take as soft drink ?"

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Force, Lux ! Do you even need to ask ?"

His face reddened in embarrassment. "Right. Coke it is."

With that, Lux rushed off to the other side of the street to order the meal for the family.

A young lady, no older than 16, was there to take his order. "Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order ?"

"Yes, hello. Two Happy Meals, please." Lux began.

"For a little boy or a little girl ?" The cashier asked.

"Both, actually. The girl wants a hamburger while the boy wishes for a chicken nugget."

The teenage girl smiled. "No problem, sir. The current Happy Meal's toy line is the Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers."

Lux kept on smiling and nodding. "That'll do. Orange juice for both, please."

"Ok, anything for you, sir ?"

"Two Quarter Pounder combos, please. One without onions and pickles, if it's possible."

The girl smiled back. "Not a problem, sir. It'll be ready in a matter of minutes."

Several minutes later, Lux brought a tray full of food for the family. He waited for an opportunity to quickly walk when the traffic stopped. As expected, the kids were happy with their food. Now came the big moment, unveiling their toys that came with the lunch.

"Oh boy, I got a Gadget toy ! She's my favorite from the show." Mina squealed in joy.

"That's neat, sis. I got Dale ! I like him, he's so funny !" Daniel shot back.

Ahsoka and Lux looked at each other before laughing at their children's simple excitement.

Afterwards, Lux went back for the ice cream cones for all. Lux noticed something. Both boys took vanilla while the girls had chocolate. Perhaps the girls needed more sugar.

 **Saturday, July 8th**

It had been a while since Ahsoka and Lux went to the movies. They managed to arrange for Kayla to babysit the kids once again. Kayla didn't seem to mind. It was a different change of pace from spending the evening with her snake, Hershey. They went to see Lethal Weapon 2. Having loved the original when they rented the VHS a year ago, the couple looked forward to see what mischief Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh could get themselves into. Even at the beginning of the movie, things were pretty intense. Martin and Roger pursued a person carrying loads of gold Krugerrands, likely imported from South Africa. By the time they managed to stop the car in question, Murtaugh's station wagon was in terrible state.

At some point, fellow officers are betting that Riggs can't get out of a straitjacket in under 5 minutes. He proves everybody wrong by dislocating his shoulder and getting himself free, earning lots of money. Eventually, it is revealed that Murtaugh's oldest daughter, Rianne, was to appear in a particular commercial. Later on in the evening, Riggs joined up with the Murtaugh family to see the commercial in question. To the amusement of Riggs, it ended up being a commercial for condoms. Murtaugh felt… disappointed.

Later on, Riggs and Murtaugh were brought to their Captain's office for a new assignment. They are to "babysit" a man named Leo Getz, whom will be testifying against some criminals apparently. At first, neither wants to take the job, but their Captain insists. Riggs eventually lights up a cigarette in the office, much to the Captain's displeasure. In the end, Riggs simply states that he "doesn't give a fuck", much like how his captain assigns them this "shit" job.

They end up meeting Leo Getz, whom ends up being incredibly annoying. The proof lies in his rant against the drive-thru.

He soon discovers that he was given a tuna sandwich by mistake… and he hates tuna !

"Can I give you guys a friendly piece of advice ? Never use the drive-thru window. Always walk up to the counter. They fuck you up at the drive-thru because they know you're miles away before you find out they fucked you, and they know you're not gonna turn back around… and you know what ?"

Riggs and Murtaugh turn to Getz. "What ?!"

"They're right !" Getz shouted back, to the amusement of his "babysitters".

Eventually, Riggs falls in love with the South African secretary, Rika van den Haas.

He ends up taking her to his camper at the beach. After he offers simple meals… and a few beers… they end up… in bed !

Ahsoka felt quite uncomfortable. "Oh Force, come on. They couldn't have moved that quickly in their relationship. This doesn't feel right at all, Lux."

He turned to her. "It ain't all that bad, 'Soka. It's still something we haven't tried."

She looked towards him. "What exactly are you referring to ?"

"Well… we still haven't done "it" in a camper. It's something to try."

She slapped at his wrist. "Lux ! Keep your sick sex fantasies to yourself, thank you !"

Not long after, it was revealed that Rika was killed. A villain, by the name of Pieter Vorstedt, the second in command of South African Consulate, Arjen Rudd, had killed Vicky, Riggs' wife, at the time.

Riggs managed to free himself from being drowned thanks to his previously dislocated shoulder. He quickly made short work of Vorstedt's henchmen. He then contacted Murtaugh, letting him know that he knew of Vicky's killer… and that it was personal. They end up rescuing a kidnapped Getz from Rudd's place. Riggs used his pickup truck to pull out the stilts that held Rudd's home into place.

By the end, Riggs and Murtaugh managed to kill all of the South Africans. Vorstedt was killed by Riggs after he pressed a button to crush the former under a cargo hold. Rudd was killed by Murtaugh after he shot at him and showed his badge claiming "Diplomatic Immunity" which Murtaugh shot back "It has been revoked" after shooting him in the head.

After they left the movie theatre, Lux and Ahsoka were arguing.

"You know, 'Soka. The more I think about it, you're like Leo when you're drunk."

She turned to him, eyes wide open. "What ?!"

"You should hear yourself. "Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok. Whatever, whatever.""

"Oh come on, Lux. Am I really that bad ?" She couldn't believe him.

"Next time you end up drunk, I'll try to record you." He offered.

She rolled her eyes in disgust. "Very funny, very funny."

 **Monday, September 11th**

Mina was finally brought to preschool. She was naturally nervous. Meeting so many new kids. But one of them she knew quite well. Travis Blank. She recognized him immediately. "Travis !" She cried out.

Travis turned to her. "Oh, Mina ? Hello ! Nice to see you here !"

Their teacher, Ms. Johnson, called to them. "Ok, children. I would like to know more about all of you. But first, tell me where your Mommy and Daddy work."

"My dad has a garage, he fixes all types of rides. My mom cleans around the house and cooks." Travis explained.

Ms. Johnson turned to Mina. "Mina… Bonteri ? What do your parents do ?"

"My mommy works for Travis' dad, she's real good. My daddy is a…. computer wizard ?"

Ms. Johnson seemed surprised. "Oh, I see. Your mother is a mechanic while your father is a programmer ?"

Mina nodded happily. "Uh huh. That's what they do !"

Several children gathered around Mina. "What's with that hair ? We've never seen anything like it…"

Mina motioned for all the kids to gather around her. "Come on, everyone. I'll tell you." She whispered to them. "You can keep a secret, right ?"

The other children aside Travis nodded.

"It's not hair. They're called headtails. My mommy and my brother have them too !" She explained.

All of the children took their turn to touch Mina's lekku. "Wow ! That's so cool !"

Travis turned to her. "Mina… your Mom is… an alien, right ? Like… from another galaxy ?" He whispered to her.

Mina nodded. "Yeah. My mommy was a Jedi… whatever that means…"

By the time the classes were over, all of the children's parents were waiting. Mina was no different. Except only Ahsoka was there. When Mina ran to her mother, the others gasped in shock. Mina's mother looked… different. They noticed Ahsoka's long headtails. It didn't take too long for most children to really take the hint. Mina was an alien's child.

"Mina. How was your day at preschool ?" She asked her.

"It was ok, Mommy. I met Travis again. Everyone is nice with me… despite that they know I'm an alien."

"Well, that's good Mina." She turned to her, looking in a slight frown. "What did you just say ?"

Mina cowered for a moment. "Mommy. I couldn't lie to my new friends. They'll keep our secret."

Ahsoka sighed. "Let's hope that they do, Mina."

 **And another chapter done. I've always enjoyed the Lethal Weapon movies, so why not toss a bit of it in this chapter, huh ? Leo Getz has always been amusing to me. Annoying, yet loveable… in a weird way. We're moving on to Mina's first day at school next chapter. Please review.**


	16. Ahsoka's Bad Luck and Mina at School

**Saturday, September 16th**

Ahsoka rose from her sleep. As she went to pick up her clothes for the day, she bumped her knee by the edge of the bed. " _Why do I get the feeling that it's going to be one of "those" days ?_ "

She made her way to the bathroom. As she began to take her shower, her bar of soap slipped from her grasp. She couldn't quite see it because of the steam, but she was one step away from it. "Ok, now where is it ?" She took a step forward. "Where's the SOOOOOOAAAAAAP ?!" As she slipped, she tried to break her fall by holding onto the shower curtains, dragging them down with her. And to make matters worse, the metal pole holding the curtain goes down with a loud CLANG ! At first, she is slightly dazed and hurt from falling on her back, almost crushing her rear lek in the process. " _Hmm hmm. Yep. It's gonna be one of "those" days…_ "

She hears Lux running upstairs. He barges into the bathroom. "'Soka ?! What happened here ? Are you all right ? What was that noise ?" He turns to see a naked Togruta in the shower, clinging to some wet shower curtains to cover herself, with the shower still running. "That…" She began. "…was myself slipping on this kriffing bar of soap, trying to break my fall by holding on to these shower curtains… and the curtain pole crashed by my side caused that noise. So now, my rear lek hurts, my back hurts, my bum hurts… worst of all is my pride. Got any other _easy_ questions you wish to ask me this morning ?"

Lux could only laugh in response. "My, my, my. Feeling "snippy" this morning, are we ? It's not your "time of the month" yet… or is it ?"

She groaned. "Oh, shut up and help me set these back." She rose up, totally ignoring the look she was getting from Lux.

"I want to help, but I can't help but feel somewhat… distracted…" He joked.

She face palmed. "Oh, Lux ! For Force's Sake, you've seen me like this more than enough times ! Now, get to it !"

Lux complied and helped her to replace everything back to normal. She reached for the soap and washcloth. "Ok, show's over ! Shoo, shoo, shoo !"

" _Still as attractive as ever. Makes me wonder now what else will go wrong for her today…_ " He thought to himself as he went back downstairs to look after the kids.

Mina was ever curious. "What happened, Daddy ?"

"It's nothing, Mina. Your mother merely slipped on a bar of soap in the shower. She'll be fine."

Mina imagined everything in Looney Tunes style, she couldn't stop from giggling. "Poor Mommy, but it must have been funny to see."

15 minutes later, Ahsoka was fully clothed and made her way downstairs. As she had her back turned, a slight bruise mark could be seen from her rear lek.

Daniel's eyes grew wide. "Gee. That looks like it hurt, Mommy."

She placed a couple of slices of bread in the toaster. "It hurt for a moment, Daniel. But I was more hurt for having been careless with that bar of soap. If I merely wrapped my washcloth around it and placing it back on the corner, I wouldn't have slipped. Oh well, live and learn, I guess."

She made her way to the living room. As she looked at her exotics, she noticed something that she didn't quite expect. Poopers the Pinktoe was on the ground, its legs curled underneath it. It was a definite sign that the animal had died. " _This day keeps getting worse and worse…_ " She was disappointed at the sight at first, then reminded herself that his days were numbered ever since it was discovered that he was a male. He would eventually be replaced.

She went back into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. As she was swirling the spoon around her mug, her sense of smell caught the scent of something burning ! "My toasts, oh no !" She quickly pressed the lever to eject the now crispy and charred slices of bread. " _Ugh ! What in the Force have I done to deserve all of this ?! Things better change for the better during the day… I don't need more bad luck !_ " The toasts were still edible, but they broke into pieces making her breakfast none too pleasant.

Over the afternoon, her car broke down during rush hour. She had to quickly reach for her toolbox she always kept in case of emergencies. Working as fast as possible, she managed to get it running again in 10 minutes. That still didn't stop other drivers from shouting various obscenities in anger as they drove past her. "Get off the road, asshole !" "Dumbass bitch !" But the worst was an old man's comment. "Women shouldn't be driving ! You can't even get your fucking car to run !" Ahsoka wanted to shout something back, but it wasn't worth the effort. By the time she got back from her errands, the first thing she did was open herself a bottle of Coke and just plop of the sofa with Obi by her side. When she told her misadventure to Lux, his blood was boiling. "You didn't deserve those things those people shouted at you. Some people simply have no manners, nor respect for others."

Fortunately by the evening, things had picked up. Lux surprised her with a roast beef dinner, the herbs and spices he used to season the meat made it amazing. After the kids were put to bed, Lux offered Ahsoka a lekku massage, which she didn't refuse. After the stressful morning and afternoon, it relaxed her a great deal. Given that her rear lek was still bruised, Lux was extra gentle with it. He rubbed it as gently as possible, allowing her to relax even more.

 **Monday, September 25th**

Mina had already spent 2 weeks at preschool. Things were going really well for her. She and Travis outperformed many of the 5 year olds during various mental exercises. Ms. Johnson quickly noticed how "advanced" they were. Barely 4 years old… and they were already capable of reading a little bit ! The typical child did not learn to read until 1st Grade, when they were usually 6 years old. All the other children were well aware of Mina's unique heritage. Thankfully, they kept it to themselves, never saying a peep to their parents or their teacher. Even when Ahsoka herself came to get Mina, Ms. Johnson was convinced it was a clever way to have her hair stick together all the time. She never asked to feel her "hair", so she remained ignorant of the truth. The other children's parents were none wiser. They simply didn't care about the Bonteri Family's odd appearance.

After Mina was brought home, she had a surprise waiting for her. A small group of friends were invited to celebrate her 4th birthday with her. Kayla, Burt, Linda, Travis and a couple of children from preschool were present, aside Lux, Ahsoka and Daniel. Ahsoka didn't give herself any trouble for the reception. She simply bought sandwiches, juice boxes, fresh vegetables with a dipping sauce and assorted cold meats. After everyone had their share of dinner, Lux took out a huge chocolate cake from the fridge. Mina couldn't be anymore pleased. The two "new" children, Mark and Lisa Rogers, Mina knew them from daycare. It would seem that these four "Younglings" as Ahsoka would refer them to, would be spending a good deal of their youth together. After the "birthday girl" had her piece, everyone else helped themselves with a serving of decadent goodness. Over the early evening, Ahsoka entertained the children by feeding her exotics. Mark and Lisa had never seen a tarantula up close, to say that they were quite impressed would be the understatement of the year.

 **Sunday, May 13th, 1990**

It was pretty early in the morning. Ahsoka turned around to glance at the clock. 7:30 am. She could still snooze it up a bit. Little did she know that she was in for a little surprise. Downstairs, Lux, Mina and Daniel were preparing breakfast.

"Mommy likes bacon, right Daddy ?" Mina asked while holding several strips of bacon from the fridge.

"Does she ever ! 4 strips is more than enough, ok Mina ?" Lux took the bacon and placed it in the frying pan. He would only hope the smell wouldn't wake Ahsoka up.

Daniel was struggling to hold a few eggs. He inevitably dropped one of the floor. "Oops ! Sorry, Daddy !"

"It's ok, Daniel. I'll clean it up. Put those two eggs on the counter, ok ?" Lux held his breath for a moment. Cleaning up an egg on the floor was no fun, but he couldn't refuse his children that wanted to take part in the morning surprise.

Mina then proceeded to pour coffee into a mug. While she didn't spill over, she did put a bit too much sugar. Lux did his part by not only cooking the eggs and meat, but he also had a couple of toasts for her. When everything was ready, Lux lead the children upstairs. He held the food tray. Mina clung to the coffee mug, making extra effort not to spill it over the stairs. Daniel tried to remember the one line he was supposed to say in unison with his sister and father.

Lux turned to the two before opening the door. "You guys ready ?"

They nodded. Lux opened the door. "Happy Mother's Day !" The trio shouted, waking her up. She certainly didn't expect this. She rose to a sitting position, propping her pillow for support.

"Oh my Force ! Lux ! Kids ! Thank you ! Thank you all !" She helped herself to the specially-prepared breakfast and ate in bed. "Oh, this is so good !" She then took a sip of the coffee. "Woah ! This is sweet ! Who did the coffee ?" Mina raised her hand. "Sweetie, thank you for trying. You didn't drop the sugar container in there, did you ?" Mina shook her head. "No, Mommy. Just two spoonfulls."

While it was a bit too sweet to her liking, she still drank all of it. She quickly went through her toasts and eggs, leaving the bacon for last. Afterwards, she hugged everyone and thanked them again for the gesture. Over lunch, the family had Subway sandwiches. They spent the afternoon walking in Central Park with Obi. They had lobster for dinner. The kids had a bit of trouble to crack the shell of the pincers, so they were given a hand. What remained of the lobster meat would be used to make lobster rolls, over the following night.

 **Monday, September 10th**

The big day for Mina finally came. Her first day at school. Lux and Ahsoka were both happy and nervous while they watched their upcoming 5 year old daughter take the school bus for the first time.

Ahsoka took a deep breath. "She'll be ok, Lux. I'm sure she'll do just fine." She wiped tears from her eyes. She never felt such pride in a very long time.

"She'll do us proud, 'Soka. I feel we've raised her as best as possible so far. She should be taking to school eagerly. Don't forget that she's always been very curious. My heart tells me that she'll fit right in." Lux couldn't contain his emotions. As the school bus departed, they could see Mina waving them good bye. Afterwards, Lux pulled Ahsoka close to him, embracing her. "It's thanks to you that we have this wonderful "gift", 'Soka. I can hardly describe what I'm feeling, but I'd share my happiness with the world if I could."

She returned the embrace. "Hey, it's not just me. You did your part too. You helped out in preparing her with all those puzzles. So she'll think her way through."

The couple broke off their embrace and went to their respective jobs.

Once Mina arrived at school, she felt nervous again at seeing more people than she was used to. " _It's ok. I can do this. I'm a big girl. I'll befriend some people bit by bit. I also need to pay attention to my lessons._ "

A young woman, in her mid-20s, seemed to be gathering some students for her class. "Ok, everyone. My name is Marina Martin. Please call me, Ms. Martin. I'm going to be calling some names. If that's you, just say "present", ok ?"

The children nodded.

"Travis Blank ?"

Travis raised his hand. "Present !"

"Mina Bonteri ?"

Mina raised her hand. "Present !"

Ms. Martin looked surprised at the two. "You two are shorter than the rest. You've probably started early, is that right ?"

Travis spoke for the two. "Yes, Ms. Martin. We'll be 5 years old in a couple of weeks. Our parents thought that we were real smart, so they got us in early."

The teacher felt slightly amused. "That is wonderful to hear, I'll be looking forward to testing your knowledge." After Ms. Martin was done gathering the names of her students, she ushered all of them in her classroom. Mina sat next to Travis.

Ms. Martin began with simple mathematics. Easy equations of additions and subtractions. Some children struggled with the concept at first. Mina was chosen to write down an answer to a multiple addition problem on the chalkboard. 3 + 5 + 7 = ?

Mina broke the equation in two. "I've done this before with my Daddy. 3 + 5 is 8. 8 + 7 is… 15 !"

Ms. Martin applauded her. "Very good, Mina. You may return to your desk."

The next class was geography. "Now children, can any of you tell me where Canada is located ?"

Travis raised his hand. "Right above the United States, Ms. Martin." He pointed to the country on the large map.

Their teacher was very impressed. "My goodness, I have a feeling you and Mina will advance quicker than the rest !"

To say that the rest of the classmates were somewhat jealous of the two was an understatement. When it came for lunch, Mina opened her lunchbox to find a ham sandwich, an apple, an orange juice box and a soft, chewy caramel. Having worked her brain slightly over the morning, it brought out her appetite.

Over the afternoon, the children had English writing lessons. To make it easy on the students, they were asked to write about their favorite animal. Mina's essay was relatively simple, yet far more informative than a good majority of others. Her essay read : "My favorite animal would be my dog, Obi. She's always in the mood to play. She really likes it when I rub the back of her ears. Oh yeah, she's a Golden Retriever. She saved my Mommy's car from bad people some time ago."

By the time her first day was over, Mina took the bus ride back home. When she arrived, Ahsoka was waiting. "Mommy ! Mommy !" She quickly ran to her mother, hugging her.

"So how was school, sweetie ?"

"I loved it ! We do all sorts of fun stuff ! My teacher is really nice ! I can't wait to see what I'll learn tomorrow !" Ahsoka could feel her daughter's excitement. Hopefully, her enjoyment of school wouldn't dissipate with time as it often occurs with many students. Eventually, she could also consider a secondary education. If this keeps up, she would feel at ease even in the most prestigious of universities.

She counted her day to her brother and parents. Lux was especially impressed at how quickly she solved that multiple addition problem. All this talk made Daniel wanting to follow in his sister's footsteps. In time, he would also prove his intellect.

 **Wednesday, October 31st**

After some debate, Ahsoka finally gave in to the custom of Halloween. She decided to dress herself in her old Jedi outfit. She had made the necessary enlargements to accommodate her slightly taller figure. Mina absolutely insisted to be a princess of sorts while Daniel wanted to be a Ninja Turtle. It was a challenge to find suits that would accommodate their lekku and montrals. She would be escorting them all the way. She would not let her young children off on their own, no matter how safe the neighborhood looked.

Over the evening, the three collected a good amount of candy. When the homeowners asked what Ahsoka was disguised as, she would simply say that she is a warrior from Outer Space. The irony was delicious, given she was truly from another galaxy. By the time they returned home, they showed off their hoard of candy to Lux. He would suggest for the kids to bring a couple of candies each day with them to daycare/school. That way, they wouldn't be too hyper and would avoid getting sick from too much sugar.

 **Wow ! Two chapters in a weekend ! Didn't think I could pull it off ! Yet here we are ! So Mina has started school and is already enjoying it. She'll definitely be looking forward to the upcoming challenges of later grades. Over the next chapter, we'll cover some more of Mina and Travis' interactions at school. We'll also cover Ahsoka's replacement for her deceased Pinktoe, Poopers. What she ends up choosing will test her knowledge. Also, we'll also cover another major rock concert event for Ahsoka and Kayla. It's something they've seen before, but not to the magnitude it'll be portrayed. At least 24 songs from these particular bands will be covered. And as you could possibly expect, Ahsoka's montrals will definitely be ringing by the end of it. Feel free to leave a review.**


	17. A Concert to Remember and a Nasty Spider

**Saturday, November 10th**

Lux was still asleep while the clock showed 10:30 am. As he woke, he was greeted by Ahsoka, handing him a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, seems you've rested well enough. I guess you needed those extra hours of sleep. Come on down, breakfast is ready."

Lux accepted the cup and moved in quickly to kiss her on the cheek. "Why thank you, dear. Yes, it's one of those rare opportunities that I oversleep. Breakfast sounds like a good idea now." As they went down, Lux noticed the kids were watching some cartoons. After picking up his plate, he went to see what they were watching.

Mina and Daniel were completely glued to the television. They were watching Captain N : The Game Master. In the episode, Mother Brain tried to steal an enchanted headdress from Kongoland. Upon crossing paths with it, Princess Lana became enslaved by it and turned against her friends. Eventually, Donkey Kong helped to turn the tables. Kevin's pleas to Lana caused her to remove the headdress. For a moment, it was within grasp from Mother Brain, however, Donkey Kong destroyed the headdress and threw Mother Brain and her goons into the sky towards a warp point. In the end, Kongoland was restored to its somewhat peaceful state.

Lux had watched some bits out of curiosity, but it was too corny for his taste. The kids enjoyed it, regardless of how corny it was. Ahsoka wasn't surprised at how it turned out, it was predictable to a fault once Kid Icarus freed Donkey Kong from the vines.

Ahsoka made her way to the kitchen and turned on the radio. She was looking forward to hearing the hottest songs of the week, but instead she got an unexpected announcement.

"…so yeah, Tim. That's what I've heard. _Megadeth_ won't be opening for _Judas Priest_ on Saturday, November 17th, since frontman Dave Mustaine was arrested for DUI. Regardless, the Painkiller Tour keeps on being their most successful to date. They were well received back in Los Angeles, Nashville and in Washington D.C."

"That's really shocking, Ed. Who's going to be opening for Priest now ?"

"No idea, Tim. Even if another band doesn't open for them, it'll be packed with people from all over the city."

"Where does it take place again, Ed ? I forget."

"It's in the Radio City Music Hall, part of the Rockefeller Center."

"Woah ! This means that only 6000 lucky fans will be able to see them, this time. Hopefully, many have already their tickets on hand. We'll be there !"

Ahsoka shut off the radio and began to daydream. "Just one more week… one more week." While she has not heard anything from their latest album, titled "Painkiller", she knows that it'll be worth the wait and the price of the tickets. They were 150.00$, this time. She & Kayla had purchased their tickets the moment they knew that Judas Priest would be performing in Mid-November.

 **Tuesday, November 13th**

Mina and Travis had chosen to work together on a school project. They had to do a presentation for Science class. Mina had tossed the idea of doing it on spiders since she was fairly familiar with them and could probably bring one of their tarantulas for a visual aid. Their teacher agreed to the idea only if Mina would bring something harmless. She chose to showcase Chewbacca, the Curlyhair. She wanted to do a feeding demonstration afterwards, she knew she could always count on her for a good show.

Arrangements were made for Travis to spend a part of the evening with Mina to work on the project. At soon as they got home, Mina drew a rough sketch of Bertha, the Mexican Red Knee. She then perused her mother's books to mention some interesting facts. Travis would write down the facts on a sheet of paper. Over the coming morning, he'd ask their teacher to make copies of the text for every student. It was going to be a 10 minute oral presentation which would take place in the afternoon.

 **Wednesday, November 14th**

During Science class, several groups were making their presentations, each one more fascinating than the last. Mina and Travis were the last ones remaining.

"Mina Bonteri and Travis Blank. You have your little presentation ready ? Come on over to the front of the class. Don't be shy." Ms. Martin ushered the two children in front of everyone else.

Mina took a deep breath. "Is anyone here afraid of spiders ?"

None of the students raised their hands.

Mina knocked on the classroom door, cueing Ahsoka to enter, carrying a large box. Inside was Chewbacca's aquarium. The moment she was placed onto the teacher's desk, everyone took interest.

Mina began to explain basic differences between Arachnids and Insects, such as the number of legs, their eyesight, and their important role as natural pest controllers. Travis touched on the different types of spiders, such as those that use webs to ensnare prey, hunters like Wolf and Jumping spiders and others that use camouflage to conceal themselves such as Crab spiders. Mina then finished her presentation by stating that tarantulas, unlike most spiders, can live over 30 years, causing shock and surprise to the other students and even their teacher.

With their presentation over, Ahsoka placed the aquarium on the floor, allowing everyone a much closer look. Mina had been given the task of feeding the hairy arachnids on many occasions. There was a small vial with a cricket inside. Mina popped open the lid of the vial while Ahsoka removed the lid of the aquarium. Very quickly, the cricket was released inside the cage. It began to walk around some corners for a bit, then stupidly walked towards its predatory cage mate. In a blur, the hapless cricket was captured and subdued. Everyone watched with great interest as Chewbacca was wheeling around with her prize in her fangs. After creating a feeding mat, it began to digest its meal. Everyone applauded their presentation. Even Ms. Martin was very impressed by their knowledge. Mina and Travis thanked Ahsoka for agreeing to transport Chewbacca for the occasion. They were graded an A++ for their work.

 **Friday, November 16th**

After her work shift, Ahsoka wanted to stop at Paula's pet shop for more dog food for Obi. As she picked up what she came for, Paula walked in the sale area.

"Ms. Bonteri, how are you ?"

"I'm pretty good for the most part… except that I did lose a spider not too long ago." She answered.

Paula was sympathetic. "I'm sorry to hear that. Which one ?"

"It was the Pinktoe, my husband had bought it almost 3 years ago. It turned out to be a male and died of old age."

Paula then took out a container from behind her desk. "So… do you want a replacement ? I've just gotten this particular spider yesterday through my order from my supplier. I have no idea what it is. All that I was told is that it was captured somewhere in Tanzania, Africa. Would you be interested ?"

Ahsoka took a closer look. What really surprised her was the fact that the spider in question was completely orange, with odd markings on its head and abdomen. She hesitated at first. "Hmm… Oh, what the heck ! I'll take it ! How much ?"

"It's yours for 25.00$."

After ringing her purchases, she picked up Daniel from the daycare and made her way back home. Just as she arrived, Mina's school bus stopped in front of their driveway.

Daniel was always happy to see his sister. "Sis ! You're back ! What did you learn today ?"

"Lots of things, Daniel. I learnt that Paris was the capital of France, how some people went to the Moon… and how fast hummingbirds flap their wings to stay floating in one spot." She noticed her mother carrying a small plastic container. "Mommy, what's that ?"

"You remember when I found Poopers dead in his cage ? This is the replacement. It's a completely new spider ! Not even the pet shop lady could tell me anything about it… except that it came from Africa." She opened the door, placed the bag of dog food near Obi's eating/drinking spot and placed the container on the living room table.

"Wow ! It came all the way from Africa ? Cool ! What are we gonna name it ?" Mina hovered around the container, trying to get a good look through the plastic.

"I don't know yet, I'm sure something from its behaviour will give us an idea for a name."

Ahsoka reached for Poopers' former home, placing it near the mystery spider container. Like when she first started with Bertha over 6 years ago, she chose to place the plastic container inside the cage. She slowly and carefully removed the lid, trying to avoid spooking the animal. Just then, she only saw an orange blur. "Hey, where did it go ?!"

She looked around the table, on the couch, around the television. No sight of the orange tarantula. She looked upwards and found it on the wall. "Kids… take Obi and place her in one of the bedrooms, ok ? I'm going to try to catch this speed demon."

Mina and Daniel took Obi upstairs and left her in Mina's room. As they ran back downstairs, they saw their mother attempting to coerce the new spider in a large clear container. On several occasions, she almost caught it, but it ran off in incredible speed in the opposite direction. It moved faster than she could react. " _Why do I get the feeling I've bitten way more than I can chew this time around ? I can't allow this thing to be loose. What if it ends up biting one of us ? That's a risk I'm not willing to take._ "

On the fifth attempt, she finally managed to have it inside the container. She placed the container near the cage, leaving no room for another escape. She used a straw to nudge it out. It dashed inside the cage and ran inside the provided hiding spot. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and quickly placed the lid, triple-checking to be absolutely sure that it's secure. " _Note to self : Do not underestimate this one. Don't let it sprint around the room like that again. That was scary !_ "

Over the evening, she finally decided to call it Taz, after the Tasmanian Devil from Looney Tunes, since it was as crazy and unpredictable as the cartoon character himself.

 **Saturday, November 17th**

The big night finally came. Ahsoka and Kayla were among 6000 fans in the Radio City Music Hall, waiting for the show to begin. Interestingly enough, it was never announced if another band would open for Judas Priest, so everyone assumed there wouldn't be any.

Ahsoka could barely hold her excitement. "10 minutes to go. I can't wait to see Rob again. I wonder if he'll do "Hell Bent for Leather" like back in '84. His entrance on the Harley was mindblowing !"

Kayla was looking forward to the show just as much. "I'd be surprised, darling. I think we'll be hearing plenty of new songs from them. I hear the Painkiller album is their most aggressive release yet."

A man with long hair, wielding a guitar, appeared on the stage. Ahsoka couldn't recognize him. "Is it me… or this guy is neither K.K. Downing or Glenn Tipton ?"

"It's not Ian Hill either, darling. Oh wait, wait, wait ! I know that face… Oh. My. God. Ahsoka ! This is Ritchie Blackmore !" Kayla rubbed her hands in glee.

Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "Blackmore ? So… Deep Purple would be opening ?"

Then, another man appeared, this one being absolutely unmistakable, earning much cheering from the crowd.

"Oh My Force ! Oh My Force ! OH MY FORCE ! Dio ! It's kriffing Ronnie James Dio ! This means… Rainbow is opening ! Wow ! I never thought I'd see them perform live. Kayla ! I'm hyperventilating here ! Help !" Ahsoka could never have predicted this turn of event.

"Calm down, darling ! Calm down. Deep breaths. Deep breaths." Kayla laughed at Ahsoka's excitement.

The music began. Dio began to dance around the stage, microphone in hand. Kayla grinned a great deal. "Can't say I saw this coming, darling. This song is so awesome. It's called Man on the Silver Mountain. Hold on to your shorts, it's going to be a memorable event, no doubt !"

I'm a wheel, I'm a wheel  
I can roll, I can feel  
And you can't stop me turning

Cause I'm the sun, I'm the sun  
I can move, I can run  
But you'll never stop me burning

Come down with fire  
Lift my spirit higher  
Someone's screaming my name  
Come and make me holy again

I'm the man on the silver mountain  
I'm the man on the silver mountain

I'm the day, I'm the day  
I can show you the way  
And look, I'm right beside you

I'm the night, I'm the night  
I'm the dark and the light  
With eyes that see inside you

Come down with fire  
Lift my spirit higher  
Someone's screaming my name  
Come and make me holy again

I'm the man on the silver mountain  
I'm the man on the silver mountain

Come down with fire  
And lift my spirit higher  
Someone's screaming my name  
Come and make me holy again

Well, I can help you, you know I can

I'm the man on the silver mountain  
I'm the man on the silver mountain

Just look at me and listen  
I'm the man, the man, give you my hand  
I'm the man on the silver mountain

Come down with fire  
And lift your spirit higher  
I'm the man on the mountain  
The man on the silver mountain  
I'm the night, the light  
The black and the white  
The man on the silver mountain

The crowd cheered loudly after the first song. Dio held up his devil horns before addressing the crowd. "Good evening, New York ! Let me guess… none of you saw me appearing here tonight, huh ? Am I right ?" The people cheered some more. "Ok… we're moving on to our next song. From my third and last album with Rainbow, Long Live Rock n' Roll… we enter… the Gates of Babylon ! Oh, yeah !"

Look away from the sea  
I can take you anywhere  
Spend a vision with me  
A chase with the wind

Move closer to me  
I can make you anyone  
I think you're ready to see  
The gates of Babylon

The power of what has been before  
Rises to trap you within  
A magic carpet ride a genie maybe more  
A city of heavenly sin  
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay  
Sleep with the devil and the devil will take you away  
Oh gates of Babylon

You can see but you're blind  
Someone turned the sun around  
But you can see in your mind  
The gates of Babylon

You're riding the endless caravan  
Bonded and sold as a slave  
A sabre dance removing all the veils  
Getting as good as you gave  
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay  
Sleep with the devil and the devil will take you away

Look away from the sea  
I can take you anywhere  
Spend a vision with me  
A chase with the wind

Move closer to me  
I can make you anyone  
I think you're ready to see  
The gates of Babylon

The power of what has been before  
Rises to trap you within  
A magic carpet ride a genie maybe more  
A city of heavenly sin  
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay  
Sleep with the devil and the devil will take you away  
Black gates of Babylon

The devil is me  
And I'm holding the key  
To the gates of sweet hell  
Babylon

Ahsoka cheered along with the crowd, almost screaming to the top of her lungs. "The more I hear of Dio, the more I love that man's voice ! What can I say, Kayla ? It seems that everything he does is great !"

"They better do Stargazer from Rainbow Rising. If they fulfill my wish, I'll be the happiest woman alive !" Kayla crossed her fingers.

Dio addressed the crowd again. "So, how many of you have families ?" Many raised their hands. "Several children ?" More raised hands appeared. "Sometimes, siblings quarrel over the simplest things. Sometimes, one of them feels left out. They call him or her… The Black Sheep of the Family !" The people cheered as the band performed their most amusing song yet.

I've got nothing in my head  
Got a floor for a bed  
The future's at the bottom of a tea cup

I got a half a pair of shoes  
And no time to lose  
I'm wondering when I'm going to wise up

So, fortune shine your light on me and my clothes  
Cause we need some security  
You get a little bad luck  
And it grows and it grows  
I'm the black sheep of the family

I've got half a pound of rice  
A beard full of lice  
A mission called retrogression

I've got pocket full of dust  
And eating is a must  
You want to make a good impression

So, fortune shine your light on me and my dog  
Cause we need some security  
While all the folks are living high up the hill  
I'm the black sheep of the family

Don't talk to me about society  
You got to pay the rules  
Or pay the penalty

Because there's nothing to choose  
Between a handful of blues  
Double indemnity

The hour was wrong  
And my shadow's getting long  
My real life's a song, don't need much  
But I've got an ache in my head  
I wanna go to bed  
Tomorrow I don't have to wake up, no

So wisdom shine your light on me and my knees  
Cause it's true what they say about familiarity  
There's nothing good this way  
And it's true they say  
I'm the black sheep of the family

Oh, my wisdom shine your light on me and my knees  
It's true what they say about familiarity  
There's nothing good this way  
And it's true they say  
I'm the black sheep of the family  
Yeah, yeah

I'm the black sheep of the family  
Just me and my dog, yeah, yeah  
I'm the black sheep of the family  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah  
I'm the black sheep of the family  
You've got me on my knees  
I'm the black sheep of the family  
Yeah, yeah, yeah

During the song, Ahsoka wanted desperately to dance along, but they were cramped with all the other fans around, so she settled on tilting her head from side to side to follow the rhythm of the music.

The crowd cheered even louder, awaiting for the next song. "Fortune Tellers…" Dio began. "Can you really trust them ? I don't know… but the Tarot Woman does !" A lone keyboard solo started the song, played by David Stone, whom eventually replaced Tony Carey after the latter had "issues" with other band members. Regardless, Stone replicated Carey's opening solo, note for note. Members of the audience whom enjoyed the warping sounds of keyboards were in Heaven at this point.

I don't wanna go  
Something tells me no, no, no, no  
But traces in the sand  
The lines that set my hand  
Say go, go, go

Beware of a place  
A smile of a bright shining face

I'll never return, how do you know?  
Tarot woman  
I don't know  
I don't know

She can take you there  
The entrance to the fair  
Mine, mine, mine

Ride the carousel  
And cast a magic spell  
You can fly, fly

Beware of a place  
A smile of a bright shining face

I'll never return, how do you know?  
Tarot woman, well I don't know  
I don't know  
I don't know  
I don't know

Something in the air  
Tells me to beware, no, no, no  
Her love is like a knife  
She'll carve away your life  
So go, go, go

Beware of a place  
A smile of a bright shining face

I'll never return, how do you know?  
Tarot woman, I don't know  
I don't know  
I don't know  
Hey, I don't know

Both Ahsoka and Kayla greatly enjoyed the live performance. It was one of their favorite tracks from the short, yet excellent album.

Ahsoka's smile grew wider with every song. "Seems Stone paid just tribute to Carey. And Powell's percussions really shook things up on this number. Now I'm even more curious at what they'll throw at us next." Both ladies applauded as they waited for the next song to be presented.

Dio once again threw up his devil horns, in which the crowd reacted by throwing up theirs and cheering. "Are you people enjoying yourselves tonight ?!" The crowd cheered. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU !" They cheered louder. "You're a great crowd, I'll tell you that ! Ok, let's have more fun with another of Rainbow's classic anthems… Long… Live… Rock n' Roll ! Woooooo !"

All right  
Rock and roll, yeah

At the end of a dream  
If you know where I mean  
When the mist just starts to clear

In a similar way  
At the end of today  
I can feel the sound of writing on the wall  
It cries for you  
It's the least that you can do

Like a spiral on the wind  
I can hear it screamin' in my mind

Long live rock and roll  
Long live rock 'n' roll  
Long live rock and roll  
Let it live

In a different time  
When the words didn't rhyme  
You could never quite be sure  
Then on with the change  
It was simple but strange  
And you knew the feeling seemed to say it all  
It cries for you  
It's the least that you can do  
Like a spiral on the wind  
I can hear it screamin' in my mind

Long live rock and roll  
Long live rock 'n' roll  
Long live rock and roll  
I'm losing control

Long live rock and roll  
Long live rock 'n' roll, yeah  
Long live rock and roll  
Look you

If you suddenly see  
What has happened to me  
You should spread the word around

And tell everyone here  
That it is perfectly clear  
They can sail above it all on what they've found  
It cries for you  
It's the best that you can do  
Like a sound that's everywhere  
I can hear it screaming through the air

Long live rock and roll  
Long live rock 'n' roll  
Long live rock and roll  
Let it live, let it live, let it live

Long live rock and roll  
Long live rock 'n' roll, yeah  
Long live rock and roll

Banners held high with a curse and cry and it's  
Long live rock and roll  
Long live rock 'n' roll  
Long live rock and roll  
You feel it around, spread it around, make you what just should

Long live rock and roll  
Long live rock 'n' roll  
Long live rock and roll  
Live, live, live, live

Long live rock and roll  
Long live rock 'n' roll  
Long live rock and roll  
Let it live, let it live, let it live, let it live

Long live rock and roll  
Long live rock 'n' roll  
Long live rock and roll

The crowd went wild during the song, everyone stood up and sang along the chorus verses with Dio. To say that he was having the time of his life would be an understatement. The crowd readily participated when he asked them to.

Ahsoka was out of breath for a moment. "Whew ! That was fun ! I'm hoping we'll have another song like this !"

Kayla nodded. "There will be, darling. It's called "L.A. Connection". I'm sure they'll play it."

Dio quickly quaffed some water before resuming his show. "Let's move on to something slow and dreamy, shall we ? From our first album, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, here is… Catch the Rainbow !"

A tear rolled from Ahsoka's eye as the music began. She had heard the song when she was at that pub, but now she would have the privilege of hearing it clearly without the murmurs of people getting in the way.

When evening falls  
She'll run to me  
Like whispered dreams  
Your eyes can't see

Soft and warm  
She'll touch my face  
A bed of straw  
Against the lace

We believed we'd catch the rainbow  
Ride the wind to the sun  
Sail away on ships of wonder

But life's not a wheel  
With chains made of steel  
So bless me

Come the dawn  
Come the dawn  
Come the dawn  
Come the dawn

We believed we'd catch the rainbow  
Ride the wind to the sun  
And sail away on ships of wonder

But life's not a wheel  
With chains made of steel  
So bless me, oh bless me, bless me

Come the dawn  
Come the dawn  
Come the dawn  
Come the dawn

Both Ahsoka and Kayla melted at Blackmore's guitar solo in the middle of the song. It wasn't aggressive at all. It was gentle and easy on their hearing. They knew their ears and montrals would be "raped" once Judas Priest would start their act.

"Sometimes, you need to really look into a mirror to see yourself… to know yourself. How about… a Self Portrait ?"

Paint me your picture and hang it on the wall  
Color it darkly, the lines must start to crawl

Down, down, down  
Spin me around and around  
Draw me away to the night from the day  
Leave not a trace to be found  
Down, down

Nothing is real but the way that I feel  
And I feel like going down, down, down, down  
Down, down, down, down, down

Paint me a picture of eyes that never see  
With flashes of lightning that burn for only me

Hey hey hey  
There's only the devil to pay  
I'm ready to go  
Pull me down from below  
Give me a place I can lay

Hey hey  
Nothing is real but the way that I feel  
I feel like going down, down, down, down  
Down, down, down, down

Hey hey  
Nothing is real but the way that I feel  
And I feel like going down  
Down, down

Nothing is real but the way that I feel  
And I feel like going down, down, down, down  
Down, down, down, down  
Down, down, down, down  
Down

Dio motioned the crowd to clap along with him. "How 'bout another sing-along, huh ?" The crowd cheered enthusiastically. "You want to ?" They cheered even louder. Dio kept gauging their excitement. "You really want to ?!" A resounding "YEAH !" was heard from all over the spacious room. "All right… let's get it on with… L.A. Connection !"

Oh, carry home my broken bones and lay me down to rest  
Forty days of cries and moans I guess  
I've failed to pass the test  
I've been sent away not a thing to say  
I'm banished from the fold  
I'm a fallen angel who's lost his wings and left out in the cold

Ooooh L.A. connection  
Oh L.A. connection  
L.A. connection, yeah

Operator place a call keep secret but it through  
Investigator knows it all he's at the window I wonder who  
I've got to cut the line and let me drift find a haven in the storm  
I got no time I need a lift to where it's sweet and close and warm

I say  
Ooooh L.A. connection  
Oh L.A. connection  
L.A. connection

Hey, carry home my broken bones and lay me down to rest  
Forty days of cries and moans well I've just failed the test  
Feel I'm balanced on the brim should I lean another way  
Like a flame that's going on the dim needs blessing from the day, oh

Ooooh L.A. connection, L.A. connection  
Oh take me away I got nothing to say  
It's got to be an L.A. connection, oh  
Ooooh L.A. connection, L.A. connection

Ooooh, L.A., L.A., L.A., L.A., L.A. connection  
Connection, oh

Ooooh L.A. connection, L.A. connection  
Oh L.A., oh, L.A. connection  
L.A., L.A. inspection  
Ooooh L.A. connection, L.A. connection

Oh I'm down, oh I'm down  
I can't take a rejection  
L.A., need an L.A. connection  
L.A., yeah, oh L.A. connection  
L.A. connection  
I'm flying away  
Take me back home, I gotta get home to L.A.  
L.A., L.A. connection, L.A.  
Oh, L.A. connection, L.A. connection  
Ooooh, ooooh, L.A. connection, L.A.

During the duration of the song, the crowd once again participated with Dio and sang along the verses of the chorus along with him. Now Ahsoka wished someone inside the room was recording the performance. It would be something she would want her children to see.

Dio took another gulp of water before speaking again. "You people are just amazing ! You're a beautiful crowd ! Thank you so much ! All right… Let's move on to more heavy hitters. From our second album, Rainbow Rising… we take a look at the Wizard's Tower… this is… the Stargazer !"

Kayla screamed in joy as her wish was coming true. She wasn't the only one thrilled to hear this song live, many people in the crowd as well as Ahsoka were just as excited.

High noon, oh I'd sell my soul for water  
Nine years worth of breakin' my back  
There's no sun in the shadow of the wizard  
See how he glides, why he's lighter than air?  
Oh I see his face!

Where is your star?  
Is it far, is it far, is it far?  
When do we leave?  
I believe, yes, I believe

In the heat and the rain  
With whips and chains  
To see him fly  
So many die  
We build a tower of stone  
With our flesh and bone  
Just to see him fly  
But don't know why  
Now where do we go?

Hot wind, moving fast across the desert  
We feel that our time has arrived  
The world spins, while we put his dream together  
A tower of stone to take him straight to the sky  
Oh I see his face!

Where is your star?  
Is it far, is it far, is it far?  
When do we leave?  
Hey, I believe, I believe

In the heat and the rain  
With whips and chains  
Just to see him fly  
Too many die  
We build a tower of stone  
With our flesh and bone  
To see him fly  
But we don't know why  
Ooh, now where do we go

All eyes see the figure of the wizard  
As he climbs to the top of the world  
No sound, as he falls instead of rising  
Time standing still, then there's blood on the sand  
Oh I see his face!

Where was your star?  
Was it far, was it far  
When did we leave?  
We believed, we believed, we believed

In heat and rain  
With the whips and chains  
To see him fly  
So many died  
We built a tower of stone  
With our flesh and bone  
To see him fly

But why  
In all the rain  
With all the chains  
Did so many die  
Just to see him fly

Look at my flesh and bone  
Now, look, look, look, look,  
Look at his tower of stone  
I see a rainbow rising  
Look there, on the horizon  
And I'm coming home, I'm coming home, I'm coming home

Time is standing still  
He gave back my will  
Ooh ooh ooh ooh  
Going home  
I'm going home

My eyes are bleeding  
And my heart is leaving here  
But it's not home  
But it's not home  
Ooh

Take me back  
He gave me back my will  
Ooh ooh ooh ooh

Going home  
I'm going home

My eyes are bleeding  
And my heart is leaving here  
But it's not home  
But it's not home  
Ooh

Take me back, take me back  
Back to my home ooh, ooh, ooh

After the song was over, Kayla was crying out of sheer joy. She hugged her friend so tight, Ahsoka was beginning to have trouble breathing. "Ok, ok. I get it ! You're happy ! That's great ! Can you lessen your grip on me, please ?"

Kayla released her grip. "Sorry, darling. You have no idea how long I've been hoping to live this moment ! Worth every single second. I'm so excited that I'm trembling…"

Ahsoka simply smiled. "But the best is yet to come. I predict that they'll wrap things up with A Light in The Black.

Kayla huddled herself. "That… would make things perfect !"

Dio took a few breaths before speaking. "Phew ! All this singing really does a number on my vocal chords, you know ?" The crowd roared in laughter and cheered him on. "Well, folks. It's time to wrap up our act. We'll finish what we started… For our last song… we have… A Light in the Black !" The crowd went wild as expected.

Can't forget his face  
What a lonely place  
Has he really let us go?

All the time that's lost  
What's the final cost  
Will I really get away?

All my life it seems  
Just a crazy dream  
Reaching for somebody's star

Can't believe it all  
Did he really fall  
What to do now I don't know

Something's called me back  
There's a light in the black  
Am I ready to go?  
I'm coming home

Breathed the air before  
Heard the thunder roar  
Never knew it was for me

Always looking down  
Lost and never found  
Eyes that look but not to see

All my life it seems  
Just a crazy dream  
Reaching for somebody's star

Like an open door  
That you've passed before  
But you've never had the key

Something's calling me back  
There's a light in the black  
Am I ready to go?

I'm coming home, I'm coming home, yeah  
I'm going back to my home

I'm going home, home, home  
Going home, home, home  
I'm coming back

Don't forget his face  
What a lonely place  
Did he really let us go

All the time that's lost  
What's the final cost  
Will I really get away?

All my life it seems  
Just a crazy dream  
Reaching for somebody's star

Can't believe it all  
Did he really fall  
What to do now, well I don't know

Something's calling me back  
Like a light in the black  
Yes, I'm ready to go  
I'm coming home, home, yeah

I've got my way back home  
To the sky  
There in the sky  
I see your star

As Dio finished the song, the crowd cheered loudly and raised their devil horns. The people in the front row were lucky enough to shake hands with him. "Thank you, each and everyone of you ! And Good Night !" He waved everyone goodbye as he and his bandmates walked out of the stage to disappear behind the large curtain.

The crowd murmured as the lights went out. It was only a matter of time before Judas Priest would be bursting onto the stage.

"How's your hearing ?" Kayla teased, pointing at her friend's montrals.

Ahsoka felt them for a moment. "They hurt. I know they'll be ringing by the end of the show. I'll have trouble hearing properly for a few days following this. Whatever, it's worth "suffering" through."

All of a sudden, the lights went on, almost blinding everyone. The members of Judas Priest were ready to start their act. Drummer Scott Travis began with a quick percussion solo, then guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton began their shredding. Ian Hill's bass could be heard slightly. Finally, singer Rob Halford raced onto the stage, microphone in hand, ready to belt out some thunderous lyrics.

Faster than a bullet  
Terrifying scream  
Enraged and full of anger  
He's half man and half machine

Rides the Metal Monster  
Breathing smoke and fire  
Closing in with vengeance soaring high

He is the Painkiller  
This is the Painkiller

Planets devastated  
Mankind's on its knees  
A saviour comes from out the skies  
In answer to their pleas

Through boiling clouds of thunder  
Blasting bolts of steel  
Evils going under deadly wheels

He is the Painkiller  
This is the Painkiller

Faster than a lazer bullet  
Louder than an atom bomb  
Chromium plated boiling metal  
Brighter than a thousand suns

Flying high on rapture  
Stronger free and brave  
Nevermore encaptured  
They've been brought back from the grave

With mankind resurrected  
Forever to survive  
Returns from Armageddon to the skies

He is the Painkiller  
This is the Painkiller  
Wings of steel Painkiller  
Deadly wheels Painkiller

Ahsoka simply blinked a few times after the song was done. " _Holy Force ! Kayla wasn't kidding when she said songs from this album would be downright aggressive ! Oh ho ho ho… This was so awesome ! What a thrill to see these guys live !_ "

Rob addressed the crowd. "Good evening, New York ! Are you ready to rock ?! You want speed ?! We'll give you speed ! How about some… Free… wheel… Burniiiiiiing ?!" The crowd cheered with unheard enthusiasm.

Fast and furious we ride the universe  
To carve a road for us that slices every curve in sight  
We accelerate, no time to hesitate  
This load will detonate whoever would contend its right  
Born to lead at breakneck speed with high octane  
We're spitting flames freewheel burning  
On we catapult, we're thrusting to the hilt  
Unearthing every fault, go headlong into any dare  
We don't accept defeat, we never will retreat  
We blaze with scorching heat obliterations everywhere  
Look before you leap has never been the way we keep  
Our road is free  
Charging to the top  
And never give in never stops the way to be  
Hold on to the lead with all your will and concede  
You'll find there's life with victory on high

After the song, both ladies high-fived each other. The night was still young, they'd be hearing plenty of classics as well as new songs from the band.

"They've still got it !" Ahsoka leaned against her chair, trying to take a quick breath before the next song comes up.

"Ok, moving on to something a bit less speedy, from our '81 album, Point of Entry, we're looking into… the Solar Angels !"

Golden halos radiating higher  
Diamond visions softly breathing fire  
Sky processions we are watching you arrive

Silver crystals arching beams below  
What light spirals lifting up to go  
Glass formations solar angels spread their wings

Spectral gliders drifting in the air  
Wheels of wonder floating everywhere  
Draped in rainbows gently we ascend

During the song, both Downing and Tipton had amazing solos, gaining much cheering from the fans. Rob surprised everyone with his next pick. "Anger is a very real emotion. If it can be channeled into music, then all the better, right ?! The lot of you can guess this one… it's Screaming… for… Vengeance !"

Hey listen don't you let them get your mind  
Fill your brain with orders and that's not right.  
They're playing at a game that draws you closer  
Till you're living in a world that's ruled by fear.  
Always takin' baby out that's o.k.  
What they're givin' maybe it's out of phase with me.  
Told you one you're never gonna win the race  
Same old no tomorrow kicked in the face.  
We are screaming, screaming for vengeance  
The world is a manacled place.

Screaming, screaming for vengeance  
The world is defiled in disgrace.  
Tie a blindfold all around your head  
Spin you 'round in the torture before the dread.  
And then you're pushed and shoved into every corner  
Then they lead you out into the final slaughter.

As the sweat is runnin' down your neck  
All your praying for's to stop your body breakin' up.  
Oh your heart is pumpin' gonna soon explode  
Got to fight the horror of this mental load.

So you wait it out and bide your time  
Rip off that straight jacket gotta break that line.  
Everyone who wins in the great escape  
Leaves a thousand more who suffer in their wake.

I don't talk about it but that's alright  
Table's turned now there's a revenge in sight.  
If it takes forever babe I tell ya I can wait  
Send them screaming back through their hell's own gate.

Both Ahsoka and Kayla's necks were beginning to hurt from all the headbanging. What was even worse was that Ahsoka's rear lek would be swinging back and forth, often coming close to slap the attendee sitting behind her.

"We all work hard in our daily lives, we deserve our break once our shifts are over, right ?" The crowd cheered. "RIGHT ?!" A resounding "YEAH !" was heard. "So this following song is for all you hard workers out there ! Wild Nights… Hot & Crazy Days !"

I'm gonna break-out  
I'm gonna drive my car  
I'm gonna get up and go  
I want some action  
I've been working so hard  
I'm gonna over load

Can you feel the beat  
Everybody's rockin' in the summer heat  
As the sun goes down  
Well deep down inside  
You feel your tempature rise

For those wild nights  
Hot and crazy days  
Wild nights  
Hot and crazy days

I'm feeling good tonight  
I'm gonna cruise around  
Makin' every head turn  
Wind up the radio  
I'm in the mood for some lovin'  
Cause the night time's comin'

Can you feel the beat  
Everybody's rockin' in the summer heat  
As the sun goes down  
Well deep down inside  
You feel your tempature rise

For those wild nights  
Hot and crazy days  
Wild nights  
Hot and crazy days

Come on  
Gettin' hot tonight  
Come on  
That's right  
Come on  
There's no end in sight  
Come on  
Alright

I'm gonna break-out  
I'm gonna drive my car  
I'm gonna get up and go  
I want some action  
I've been working so hard  
I'm gonna over load

Can you feel the beat  
Everybody's rockin' in the summer heat  
As the sun goes down  
Well deep down inside  
You feel your tempature rise

For those wild nights  
Hot and crazy days  
Wild nights  
Hot and crazy days  
Wild nights  
Hot and crazy days  
Wild nights  
Hot and crazy days  
Wild nights  
Hot and crazy days  
Wild nights  
Hot and crazy days  
Wild nights  
Hot and crazy days

The crowd went wild following the song, cheering even louder than before.

"After this, why don't we stop at a bar for a drink or two ?" Ahsoka would definitely need to unwind after all this excitement.

Kayla nodded. "Sure, but don't overdo it. Remember, you're driving !"

"I won't take anything potent, I promise ! I love my car way too much to wreck it in such a stupid manner. And besides, I don't need a DUI on my record. It's clean and I plan to keep it that way !"

"Some people lead rough lives. They scrape and cut corners to make ends meet. Others simply have success from the beginning. This song is dedicated to those that sit in between, troubled at first but eventually manage to pull through ! You've… Got… Another… Thing… Comin' ! Yeah !"

One life I'm gonna live it up  
I'm takin' flight said I'll never get enough.  
Stand tall I'm young and kinda proud  
I'm on top as long as the music's loud.  
If you think I'll sit around as the world goes by  
You're thinkin' like a fool 'cause it's a case of do or die.  
Out there is a fortune waitin' to be had  
If you think I'll let it go you're mad  
You've got another thing comin'.

That's right here's where the talkin' ends  
Well listen this night there'll be some action spent.  
Drive hard I'm callin' all the shots  
I got an ace card comin' down on the rocks.

If you think I'll sit around while you chip away my brain  
Listen I ain't foolin' and you'd better think again.  
Out there is a fortune waitin' to be had  
If you think I'll let it go you're mad  
You've got another thing comin'.

In this world we're livin' in we have our share of sorrow  
Answer now is don't give in aim for a new tomorrow.

Oh so hot no time to take a rest yeah  
Act tough ain't room for second best.  
Real strong got me some security  
Hey I'm a big smash I'm goin' for infinity yeah.

"Yep, that song sums up quite well what Lux & I have been through over the first 3 years in the city. We never gave up, we gave our all and look where we stand now ? We're comfortable, finance-wise."

Kayla was very happy for her friend. She wished eventually she'd get her own big break.

"Who gets their thrill while driving ? Don't we all, huh ? It's even more fun when you have someone else that shares that thrill ! Are you ready for… Turbo…. Lover ?!"

You won't hear me, But you'll feel me  
Without warning, somethings dawning, listen.  
Then within your senses,  
You'll know you're defenseless  
How your heart beats, when you run for cover  
Your cant retreat I spy like no other.

Then we race together. We can ride forever  
Wrapped in horsepower, driving into fury  
Changing gear I pull you tighter to me

I'm your turbo lover  
Tell me there's no other  
I'm your turbo lover  
Better run for cover

We hold each other closer, as we shift to overdrive  
And everything goes rushing by, with every nerve alive  
We move so fast it seems as though we've taken to the sky  
Love machines in harmony, we hear the engines cry.

I'm your turbo lover  
Tell me there's no other  
I'm your turbo lover  
Better run for cover

On and on we're charging to the place so many seek  
In perfect synchronicity of which so many speak  
We feel so close to heaven in this roaring heavy load  
And then in sheer abandonment, we shatter and explode.

I'm your turbo lover  
Tell me there's no other  
I'm your turbo lover  
Better run for cover

I'm your turbo lover  
Tell me there's no other  
I'm your turbo lover  
Better run for cover

Kayla turned to her friend. "I don't think you've ever done any speeding, right ?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "What's the point ? You increase the odds of causing an accident and you're bound to get a ticket if you're caught. I follow the limit, go at my pace. There's no need to hurry, despite how busy the traffic can be at points."

"Ok, we've covered a load of our '80s back catalog. Let's go even further, in the mid-'70s. From our '76 album, Sad Wings of Destiny, a fan favorite… Victim… Of… Changes !" The crowd went nuts with the announcement.

Whiskey woman don't you know that you are drivin' me insane  
The liquor you give stems your will to live and gets right to my brain  
Don't you know you're driving me insane  
You're tryin' to find your way through life  
You're tryin' to get some new direction  
Another woman got her man  
She won't find no new connection

Takes another drink or two, things look better when she's through

Takes another look around, you're not goin' anywhere  
You've realized you're gettin' old and no one seems to care  
You're tryin' to find your way again  
You're tryin' to find some new...  
Another woman's got her man  
But she won't find a new...

Takes another drink or two, things look better when she's through

You 'bin foolin' with some hot guy  
I want to know why is it why  
Get up get out you know you really blew it  
I've had enough, I've had enough, good God pluck me

Once she was wonderful  
Once she was fine  
Once she was beautiful  
Once she was mine...she was mine

Now change has come over her body, she doesn't see me anymore  
Now change has come over her body, she doesn't see me anymore

Changes, changes, changes, changes  
Victim of changes

Ahsoka huddled herself, reeling from the crazy solos. "Wow ! That was amazing ! Was this their first album ?"

Kayla leaned back against her chair, enjoying the atmosphere of the event. "Actually, no. There was another, from 1974. It was called Rocka Rolla. Though I don't remember any of the songs on that. I probably heard it back when I was a teenager, but I didn't "get" what was so great about Judas Priest until they released Stained Class in '78. That was when I heard Exciter on an old radio. Sure, it was fuzzy as heck, but it was still awesome to hear these guys do things with guitars that I had not heard previously."

"Heh, if you could've seen my face when I heard that song for the first time. I was dusting our old apartment, a day after we "arrived". I had never heard music that caught me by surprise like that. Granted, Halford's voice is an acquired taste, but once you get used to it, there's no turning back."

"Once in a while, we're asked to do some covers of past songs. Most end up being better than the original. Here's one of them. The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown), originally by Fleetwood Mac, from our '78 album, Killing Machine !"

Now when the day goes to sleep and the full moon looks  
And the night is so black that the darkness cooks  
And you come creeping around, making me do things I don't want to do

I can't believe that you need my love so bad  
You come sneaking around, trying to drive me mad  
Busting in all my dreams, making me see things I don't want to see

'Cause you're the Green Manalishi with the two-pronged crown  
All night dragging us up, or you're bringing us down  
Just taking my love, and slip away  
Leaving me here, trying to keep from following you

Once again, the song was on the short side, but the guitar solos were delicious. "Those solos always turn my mood for the better. I don't know why, but the sound of screaming guitars is like Heaven to me. Am I weird ?"

Kayla almost burst out in laughter. "Nonsense, darling ! Rock is good for the soul ! It empowers you, allows you to forget all of life's problems… even if it's just for a small while."

"How about we throw another speed demon of a song ?" The crowded cheered. "Once again, from our latest album, Painkiller… get ready for… The… Metal Metldown !"

Something's calling  
In the night  
Electric madness  
Roars in sight

Heat is rising  
Blazing fast  
Hot and evil  
Feel the blast

Out of control  
About to explode  
It's coming at ya

Here comes the Metal Meltdown  
Run for your lives  
Can't stop the Metal Meltdown  
No-one survives

Raging fury  
Wired for sound  
Nitro bombshell  
Shakes the ground

High and mighty  
Rips the air  
Piercing lazer  
Burning glaze

Out of control  
About to explode  
It's coming at ya

Here comes the Metal Meltdown  
Run for your lives  
Can't stop the Metal Meltdown  
No-one survives

Temperature is boiling  
Magnifying might  
Feeding like a virus  
Flashing light

Imminent collision  
Shockwaves all around  
Generating energy  
Screams so loud

It's comin' - Meltdown  
Start runnin' – Countdown

Ahsoka felt her montrals. "Ow ! They're starting to get sore. And we're likely only halfway done !"

Kayla decided to mock her friend. "What was that ? I'm sorry, I can't hear you under all this awesomeness !"

Ahsoka only rolled her eyes in response.

Rob shot a smirk towards the audience. "Sometimes, we dare to write… controversial songs. As some of you know, one particular song we've done in the past was condemned by the Parents Music Resource Center, spearheaded by Tipper Gore. That was Eat Me Alive. I find it amusing that both Jawbreaker and Love Bites weren't included in their so-called "Filthy Fifteen" list. We've done Eat Me Alive and Jawbreaker often enough, but how many of you heard Love Bites live ? You want to, huh ? All right, let's do this !"

When you feel safe when you feel warm  
That's when I rise that's when I crawl  
Gliding on mist hardly a sound  
Bringing the kiss evils abound  
In the dead of the night love bites  
Into your room where in deep sleep  
There you lie still to you I creep  
Then I descend close to your lips  
Across you I bend you smile as I sip  
Now you are mine in my control  
One taste of your life  
And I own your soul  
Softly you stir gently you moan  
Lust's in the air wake as I groan  
In the dead of the night love bites  
Love bites you invites you  
To feast in the night  
Excites you delight you  
It drains you to white  
Live bites  
You knew at first sight  
You'd enjoy my attack  
That with my first bite  
There'd be no turning back  
So come in my arms I strike any hour  
I will return to trap and devour  
In the dead of the night love bites

Ahsoka was highly amused by the lyrics. " _Yeah, this kinda relates to my "nightly adventures" with Lux. Sometimes he can be a bit "nippy", but I can do the same to him and he doesn't seem to mind. Tonight, I'll be too tired myself to "wear him down"… but there's always tomorrow night !_ "

Kayla snapped her fingers in front of Ahsoka's face. "Earth to Ahsoka. Earth to Ahsoka. I don't know what you're thinking about right now, but odds are it's naughty."

Ahsoka snapped out of her reverie. "Are you a mind reader ?" She raised her eye markings, winking at her. "Read between the lines, huh ?"

"Ooh, I see. I'd guess that you two have a "healthy" relationship." Kayla winked back.

"You have no idea. But I'm not about to divulge our private lives, not even to you." Ahsoka whispered.

Kayla made a mental note to not bother probing Ahsoka about that particular subject.

"Driving is a thrill of its own. But in cities and towns, we need to be watchful for pedestrians and other drivers. But in between, we can rev it up more than usual ! That's what happens when you're… Heading Out to The Highway !"

Hit'em boys!

Well I've said it before, and I'll say it again  
You get nothing for nothing: expect it when  
You're backseat driving, and your hands ain't on the wheel  
It's easy to go along with the crowd,  
And find later on that your say ain't allowed  
Oh that's the way to find what you've been missing

So I'm heading out to the highway  
I got nothing to lose at all  
I'm gonna do it my way  
Take a chance before I fall  
A chance before I fall!

You can hang in a left or hang in a right  
The choice it is yours to do as you might  
The road is open wide to place your bidding  
Now, wherever you turn, wherever you go  
If you get it wrong, at least you can know  
There's miles and miles to put it back together!

And I'm heading out to the highway  
I got nothing to lose at all  
I'm gonna do it my way  
Take a chance before I fall  
A chance before I fall!

On the highway! On the highway!

Making a curve or taking the strain  
On the decline, or out on the wain  
Oh everybody breaks down sooner or later  
We'll put it to rights, we'll square up and mend.  
Back on your feet to take the next bend!  
You weather every storm that's coming atcha!

And I'm heading out to the highway  
I got nothin' to lose at all  
I'm gonna do it my way  
Take a chance before I fall  
Yes, I'm heading out to the highway,  
I got nothing to lose at all.  
I got nothing to lose at all!

"Maybe if we ever travel outside the city, say for a camping trip, I could go at 100 mph, as long as I'm careful around surrounding vehicles. What do you think, Kayla ?"

"Of course, darling. It's what people always do. Granted, there are occasional accidents. Anything can happen in a split-second ! Watch what others do as much as yourself !"

Rob quickly reached for some water. "Phew ! This is some concert, right ? Are you guys all right ?!" The crowd cheered loudly. "Ok, you know if you commit a crime, you usually end up getting caught. Whether you rob a bank, you kill someone or break property, it all comes down to the same notion… you end up… Breaking… The… Law !"

There I was completely wasting, out of work and down  
all inside it's so frustrating as I drift from town to town  
feel as though nobody cares if I live or die  
so I might as well begin to put some action in my life

Breaking the law, breaking the law  
Breaking the law, breaking the law  
Breaking the law, breaking the law  
Breaking the law, breaking the law

So much for the golden future, I can't even start  
I've had every promise broken, there's anger in my heart  
you don't know what it's like, you don't have a clue  
if you did you'd find yourselves doing the same thing too

Breaking the law, breaking the law  
Breaking the law, breaking the law  
Breaking the law, breaking the law  
Breaking the law, breaking the law

You don't know what it's like

Breaking the law, breaking the law  
Breaking the law, breaking the law  
Breaking the law, breaking the law  
Breaking the law, breaking the law

Breaking the law

Ahsoka shook her head. "Catchy song, but it may persuade some to do wrong."

Rob threw his devil horns to the crowd. "All right ! It's time we wrap things up, folks ! For our last song of tonight, we have another from Painkiller. Don't go out after dark. He's out there. Waiting for you to be his next meal. The… Night… Crawler !"

Howling winds keep screaming round  
And the rain comes pouring down  
Doors are locked and bolted now  
As the thing crawls into town

Straight out of hell  
One of a kind  
Stalking his victim  
Don't look behind you

Nightcrawler  
Beware the beast in black  
Nightcrawler  
You know he's coming back  
Night Crawler

Sanctuary is being sought  
Whispered prayers a last resort  
Homing in its' cry distorts  
Terror struck they know they're caught

Straight out of hell  
One of a kind  
Stalking his victim  
Don't look behind you

Nightcrawler  
Beware the beast in black  
Nightcrawler  
You know he's coming back  
Night Crawler

As night is falling  
The end is drawing near  
They'll hear  
Their last rites echo on the wind

Huddled in the cellar  
Fear caught in their eyes  
Daring not to move or breathe  
As the creature cries  
Fingernails start scratching  
On the outside wall  
Clawing at the windows  
"Come to me" it calls  
Atmosphere's electric  
As it now descend the stairs

Hiding in the darkness  
Is so futile from its glare  
Death comes in an instant  
As they hoped it would  
Souls ascend to heaven  
While it feasts on flesh and blood

Ahsoka and Kayla shuddered after the song. It was a creepy yet awesome way to end the show !

"Woo ! Thank you everybody, and goodnight !" Rob got a standing ovation from the crowd. The band soon left the stage and the majority of concert-goers were preparing to head back to their homes.

"Hah ! This was worth way more than 150.00$ in my opinion, Kayla."

Kayla reached for her coat. "I have to agree, darling. It was a fantastic show. We should see more concerts like these."

Ahsoka smiled back. "Oh, we will. Count on it ! Now… where do we stop for a drink or two ?"

"There's a small pub not too far from here. We could go there." Kayla suggested.

Around 15 minutes later, the ladies were enjoying a beer over a small order of slider burgers.

"My montrals will definitely be ringing for a while. It's fine, I knew what I was getting myself into." She had taken a Samuel Adams Boston Lager while Kayla went for her usual Miller Draught.

"So… you've heard plenty of artists in the 6+ year timespan that you've arrived here. Who would be your top 5 singers ?" Kayla quizzed.

"Top 5 ?" Ahsoka thought for a moment. "Well… it's no surprise that Ronnie James Dio takes the 1st spot. Afterwards, Rob Halford is up there for sure, then Bruce Dickinson, there's also King Diamond that I've become quite fond of… For the last spot… This is a tough one… Between Ozzy Osbourne and Cherie Currie… I'd have to give it to… Cherie !"

"Yeah, her contributions to The Runaways were pretty damn good. As for me, Rob and Bruce are definitely on my list. Then… the two Genesis vocalists, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. Last… but certainly not least would be Freddie Mercury of Queen."

Ahsoka ordered a second beer. "Our tastes are still quite similar. I know I wish to bring my daughter Mina to see Ozzy Osbourne for her 10th birthday. No doubt, she'll be able to appreciate it even more if she experiences a live concert."

Kayla also ordered a second beer. "Yeah, hearing the studio album is one thing. Seeing it live… totally different atmosphere and experience. So in 5 years from now, huh ? The kids are growing up nicely, I have to say. What about Daniel ?"

"He doesn't care about music that much. He's more interested in the video games we have at home. I hate to say it, but I feel he'll be addicted to it. He enjoys Super Mario Bros. a lot. I can't wait to see his face on Christmas Eve. He's been keeping a lookout for Super Mario Bros. 3 for the longest time. Lux & I have already agreed to buy the game and several others.

Apparently, it's the biggest Mario game yet, with over 80 levels to conquer. I haven't played it yet, but I've seen a bit of it in the movie "The Wizard". It stars Fred Savage, Jenny Lewis, Beau Bridges and Christian Slater. Basically, a young boy is discovered to be unusually good at Nintendo games, so two teenagers help him to reach California in order to participate in a video game tournament called "Video Armageddon". The winner earns 50 000.00$ in cash money. Lots of games were featured such as TMNT, Mega Man 2, Rad Racer, Ninja Gaiden. It was a neat film."

"Ha ha, seems you have your work cut out for you, darling. Let's hope your son's interest in video games won't interfere in his schooling. As for Mina, definitely continue to nurture her love for rock music."

After both ladies finished their second beer, they paid their fee and Ahsoka took her friend back at her apartment. Afterwards, she made her way back home. She pulled into the driveway as quietly as possible. It was past 11 pm, she didn't want to wake Lux or the kids. As she entered, Obi greeted her, whimpering slightly.

"Shh. Shh. Shh. I'm glad to see you too, girl. Ok, enough. Go to your bed." She whispered.

" _I'm not going to bother going upstairs. I'm going to sleep on the couch for tonight._ "

She went into the washer/dryer room and pulled out a blanket to cover herself for the night. It wasn't comfortable, but she chose to endure it in order to avoid waking her husband and children.

Thunk !

" _Huh ? What's making that noise ?_ "

Thunk ! Thunk !

"What the ?" Ahsoka looked around the windows. Maybe some drunkard was around, trying to enter their home for scraps of food. She looked to the window to the backyard. Nothing. She went back to lie on the couch.

Thunk ! Thunk !

She looked into the kitchen. Maybe the faucet was leaking… But it couldn't be THAT loud. " _Hold on… What if…_ " She turned on the lights. Now she could see what was doing that noise. It was her newest tarantula, Taz. It was in full threat posture, fangs bared and struck repeatedly at the air.

" _What the kriff is your problem ? I'm not even bothering you, for Force's sake !_ " She took a closer look. For whatever reason, it was mad. Venom could be seen dripping from its fangs, and a faint hissing noise could be heard. Not as audible as a King Baboon, but she still caught the noise with her sensitive hearing. It amazed her given they took a beating at that concert. " _Geez ! Go hug a rainbow or something !_ "

Now aware of what caused the disruption, she went back to sleep. Tomorrow would be a new day. A new beginning.

 **Goodness Gracious ! This is by far my longest chapter I've done. I hope you people enjoy those songs if you wish to check them out on Youtube. I know, I do. About the new spider… It likely seems excessively nasty. That's what they are. The species,** _ **Pterinochilus murinus**_ **, began to be available by the late '80s. Referred to as the OBT or the Orange Baboon Tarantula, it's also "lovingly" referred to by experienced hobbyists as the "Orange Bitey Thing". Ahsoka will need to be careful. Next chapter, we'll see their latest Christmas event. We'll see Ahsoka's struggles with Super Mario Bros. 3 and Mega Man 2. Feel free to review.**


	18. Video Games can be SO addicting

**Saturday, December 15th**

Almost 2 weeks to go before Christmas. Ahsoka and Lux had planned to have this day to themselves so they could do their shopping for the kids. Mina and Daniel were dropped at Kayla's apartment so they wouldn't suspect anything. They were going through the aisles in the Toys-R-Us store.

"Are you really sure you want to do this, 'Soka ? You've seen how he's been fixated on it as of late." Lux gave a slight look of concern.

Ahsoka nodded. "I know, Lux. I know. But I don't see it as being completely bad. Some of these could be educational for Daniel. Since he really enjoys video games as much as I do, let's offer him choices." They made their way to the electronics section.

There was a showcase of various titles behind a glass window. It was under lock and key. They would need to find a clerk to open the showcase for them.

Several minutes later, they picked out several new games. "Let's see here… Super Mario Bros. 3 is an absolute must since he's been talking about it more and more. I've always wanted to try Mega Man 2 for myself. The first one was an impossible nightmare, I've heard the second is much more balanced in terms of difficulty." Ahsoka looked at the selection some more. "Huh ? They have a Duck Tales game ?! The kids will love this one…" She addressed the clerk. "Excuse me, can you recommend something that would teach a child to read ? And being kind of fun at the same time ?"

The clerk moved his finger around the titles and yanked one out. On the cover, there was a crystal ball showing a mysterious city of sorts in the background. On the foreground, there was a sword and an axe stacked one atop the other like a diagonal cross. There was a phrase : "Enter a whole new realm of challenge and adventure." On the bottom, it said that the game included an 84-page Explorer's Handbook, Game World and Dungeon Maps and a full color Monster Chart. The game was called Final Fantasy.

Lux looked at the back of the case. "Don't you think this would be a bit complicated for a 3 year-old ?"

Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "Don't worry. I'll be with him when he decides to play. This game will allow myself and Daniel to bond in some way. It's pretty much like how you get Mina's attention with books. Speaking of which, we'll stop at the bookstore afterwards.

They paid for the games and quickly rushed to the nearby bookstore. As they entered, a clerk greeted them. "Good morning, Sir and Miss, how could I be of assistance to you on this wonderful Holiday season ?"

"I have a 5 year-old daughter who's really taken a liking to reading. I'd like something pleasant… and not too violent if it's available ?" Ahsoka looked around for the Comic Book section.

The clerk rushed towards her. "I believe we have the perfect type of book for your little girl. How about a Smurfs comic book ?" He offers.

Lux cleared his throat. "Something a little less… baby-ish ? Yes ?"

The clerk scratched his head for a moment. "Ok, something less childish… Let's see here… We have Astérix, Lucky Luke, The Adventures of Tintin, etc…"

Ahsoka's face lit up. "That last one… That's it ! Those look perfect for her to read along with me as her guide. Instead of buying one book at a time, we might as well buy them all."

The clerk did a double-take. "What ?! You wish to buy the entire collection in one shot ?"

Ahsoka nodded. "Can we ?"

"I'll have to look in the stock room to ensure we have available copies of each book. There's at least 25 books, if you're counting Tintin in the Land of the Soviets and Tintin and the Lake of Sharks." The clerk ran into the stock room.

Lux scratched his neck. "Are you sure you want to buy them all right now, 'Soka ? It's not that we can't afford it all, because we can. But… I can't help but feel that the kids will be spoiled a bit much this year…"

She turned to him, flashing a smile. "It is Christmas, Lux. We all spoil ourselves more than usual at this time of year. Which reminds me, I saw something back at Toys-R-Us that Daniel would enjoy immensely. Once we're done paying these books, grab a cart to take everything to the car while I get that thing I saw. Ok with you ?"

Lux quickly sneaks a kiss while no one looks. "Of course, it's all right ! Go on for Daniel's last gift. I'll be fine here."

Several minutes later, the clerk managed to find all of the books. It was a hefty amount, but nothing Lux couldn't handle. Instead of paying with cash, which would hold the already long lineup longer than necessary, Lux opted to pay with his MasterCard credit card. A minute later, Lux was out with the entire Tintin collection as well as the video games they bought at Toys-R-Us.

About 10 minutes later, Ahsoka joined him, holding a bag with a curious looking box inside. "Don't tell me, you've bought more games ?"

"You'll see on Christmas Eve, Lux. I guarantee you, the kids will remember this particular one." They drove back home. While Ahsoka went to wrap everything up for Christmas, Lux drove around for Ahsoka's present. " _We've spent much more than usual so far, but we have no more financial shortcomings. If we're spoiling the kids that much, it's only fair that we spoil each other just as much. What could I… ? Of course ! But how am I going to sneak THAT in without her noticing ?_ "

Lux formulated a plan. He began by stopping at a payphone. He quickly dialed their home number.

"Hello ?"

"'Soka, are you done wrapping up the kids' presents ?"

"Actually, yes. I just got done."

"Good ! Do you mind going to Kayla's apartment for the kids ? There's a store where I want to check something out."

"Sure, no problem. We should be back in about an hour or so. Can I expect you to be there by then ?"

"Yes, what I want to take a look at won't take long."

"Ok, sounds good. I'll see you later, Lux. Love you ! Bye !"

"Love you too, 'Soka. See you later ! Bye !"

Now Lux had an hour to sneak whatever he had in mind. He quickly rushed to Paula's pet shop. " _If we're encouraging Mina's reading and Daniel's gaming, I might as well give Ahsoka a hand with her "collection"._ "

Paula was busy unpacking new animals when Lux entered. "Mr. Bonteri. Hello. Is there anything I could do for you ?"

"No doubt that you can. You know that my wife loves her spiders. What's the biggest one you've got ?"

She brings him to a large glass cage. "I've gotten a couple of these a few weeks ago. They're labeled as _Theraphosa blondi_ , going by the majority of scientific reports, these are the biggest in the world. They can be quite a handful, even for your wife. How is she faring with that African spider I sold her about a month ago ?"

"She's very careful with it. We've witnessed its speed and aggressive nature fairly quickly. It's definitely a look-but-don't-touch kind of "pet"."

"This is the last one. I really don't know when I'll get more of these. They're not exactly common. Also, be wary of its urticating hairs, they can cause a pretty severe reaction." Paula warned.

Lux swallowed a lump in his throat. "How much ?"

"Usually, they'd be 150.00$ each… But since you and your wife are constant customers, I can cut you a deal. You can have it for… 100.00$. And don't worry about the enclosure and accessories such as the substrate and water dish. Take the cage as is. Merry Christmas."

Lux quickly plucked out a 100 dollar bill and was out the door, rushing to arrive before Ahsoka returned home with the kids. He quickly wrapped it loosely and placed it at the last place Ahsoka would look : behind the television. He placed a black paper over everything so it would look inconspicuous. And just in time, Ahsoka arrived with Mina and Daniel in tow.

Mina looked around the living room. "Hello, Daddy. Oh ! Daniel ! Look ! Santa left presents under the tree !"

Daniel was definitely impressed. "Wow ! I've never seen so many presents before !"

The kids raced to the kitchen for a snack. "Mommy, we're hungry !"

Ahsoka laughed. "Auntie Kayla didn't give you anything to eat ? Oh, naughty Auntie ! Ok, what do you want ?"

Mina thought for a moment. "An apple, Mommy. Please ?"

Daniel mimicked his sister. "Can I have an apple too, Mommy ? Please ?"

Ahsoka reached into the fruit basket and pulled a couple of apples, rinsing them under the faucet and cutting them into bite-size pieces. She offered both children a small plate. "Here you go, kids. Enjoy."

Ahsoka reached into the fridge for some chilled meat. While she was there, she grabbed a bottle of Coke.

While Lux was outside in the backyard with Obi, Ahsoka quickly raced to her car and grabbed a specific bag and placed it amongst the presents already laid around the tree.

 **Monday, December 24th**

Once again following tradition, the family enjoyed a dinner of fondue before moving on to unwrap their presents. Ahsoka and Lux shared their bottle of Amarone, the high-end Italian wine Ahsoka purchased for him 3 years ago. It had aged beautifully and was sweet yet pleasant. Daniel certainly enjoyed fondue. His favorite sauce was the Sweet BBQ. About an hour and a half went by while everyone ate their share. Now it was time to see everyone's reactions with their presents.

Ahsoka knelt before Daniel. "Ok, Daniel, Santa brought this to you. He told me you would really enjoy it."

Daniel began to unwrap his present. "Huh ? OH WOW ! A Nintendo Game Boy ! Wow ! Wow ! Wow ! Santa is so awesome ! And there's also Super Mario Land with it aside Tetris ! Cool !"

Lux brought Mina forth. "Ok, Mina. Santa knew you've been a very good girl at school, so he wanted to offer you… some encouragement."

Mina began to open the large box. She peeked inside. "EEEEKKKK ! Mommy ! Daddy ! Santa brought me all the Tintin and Snowy books ! Too bad Santa couldn't come again, I would like to thank him for being so nice."

"'Soka, humor me and turn around for a moment, please ?"

She did as she was asked. "Oh, Lux. What did you do this time ?"

The kids were extremely excited. Lux had to shush them. "Ok, you can turn around."

Ahsoka's eyes went wide as saucers. "LUX ! OH. MY. FORCE. NO WAY ! NO WAY ! You're crazy, you know that ?! You're so crazy and I love you for it ! A real live Goliath Bird Eating spider ! Wow ! I've been wanting one of these for years ! Thank you so much, sweetheart !" She leapt in his arms and kissed him. "That bag there is for you, dear. I have faith that you'll be tremendously pleased !"

Lux removed the items of the bag. "Goodness Gracious ! Michael Jackson's World Guide to Whiskey… and a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label. You said I was crazy ? I think you're crazier than me ! I can tell I'll enjoy this ! Amazing !"

Ahsoka motioned to another large present. "Hold on, we're done yet. Look here. "To : The Bonteri Family. From : Santa."

The kids unwrapped the box and looked inside. As expected, Daniel had good reasons to be overly excited. "Yeah ! Super Mario Bros. 3 ! We can finally play it all together !"

Mina took out another game. "Oh wow ! Duck Tales ! It looks so fun !"

Ahsoka took out the remaining two. "Mega Man 2 and Final Fantasy. Two games I would never dream of renting. Glad to have these on our shelf."

"So, are we all happy about our presents this year ?" Lux queried. A resounding "Yes ! Thank you Santa !" was heard by all.

The kids immediately began to use their new toys and books. Ahsoka gave Daniel a hand by loading the batteries into the Game Boy and he immediately began to play Super Mario Land. Mina began to read Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, greatly enjoying it despite the comic strip being only in black and white.

Ahsoka placed her new spider on the shelf, next to Taz. She decided to call it Shelob, after the monstrous spider fought by Samwise Gamgee. She admired at how massive it looked. As it walked around its cage, Ahsoka was completely mesmerized by it. Lux began to read his book and enjoyed a Scotch… simply neat. He simply took his time by barely moistening his lips with each sip.

 **Wednesday, December 26th**

Everyone finally settled down from the excitement over the past couple of days. All 4 sat on the couch while they began a session of Super Mario Bros. 3 for the first time. Ahsoka didn't even bother to read the manual as she assumed the playing style would be similar to the original Super Mario Bros. game. She was right. What she didn't see coming were the new suits. Grabbing a Super Leaf, Racoon Mario was capable of whacking enemies with his tail… and he could also fly once the power meter was filled up by running quickly for a short distance. If anything, it looked better and bigger than ever.

They each took turns to playing. If a level was cleared or a life was lost, the controller was passed to the next person. Mina had the most trouble playing since she preferred to read instead of playing games like her brother. After some trial and error, the family made it to the first Fortress. The first area was fairly easy, hopping from platform to platform was typical of a Mario game.

A couple of new enemies were met here : The indestructible Roto-disc and the Dry Bones. The first is a flashing ball going into a circular pattern. The second is a mummified Koopa Troopa. If you step on it, it crumbles but soon reforms. The second area was a bit more tricky. They had to tread carefully as a ceiling lined with spikes was falling on them. By standing in several safe spots, they avoided losing whatever special power they had. Eventually, they reached what would become the boss of all Fortresses : a creature only known as Boom-Boom.

It was Daniel's turn. He figured out that you had to wait until it was moving around and jump on it 3 times to defeat it. After some time, they reached the first Airship. It was Lux's turn. He did manage to reach the boss, Larry Koopa. Through Lux's clumsy playing, he ended up caught by the magic of Larry's wand. The ship flew around the map and landed elsewhere. The controls were passed to Ahsoka. She managed to defeat Larry by jumping on him 3 times while avoiding the wand's magic.

After clearing World 1, the Grass Land, they moved to World 2, Desert Land. After some time, Lux looked at his watch.

"'Soka… I don't know if you've noticed, but we've been playing this game for the past 3 hours ! Don't you think we should give the machine… and ourselves… a break ?"

She turned to him, eyes wide in shock. "What ?! We've been sitting here for 3 hours straight ?! Are you serious ?! Ok… this game is much more addictive than I first thought. Ok, everyone. We're going to stop now."

Daniel wasn't pleased. "Mommy ! No ! If you turn it off, we have to start over !"

"You'll get plenty of chances to practice, then. It's enough for today, ok ? Mina, turn it off, please."

Mina hopped off the couch and pressed the power button, shutting off the Nes and took out the SMB3 cart. "Mommy, it's so hot ! Touch it !"

Ahsoka grabbed the cart. "That is hot ! Ok, the machine and the game really need a break. If we kept on, it could've overheated."

Ahsoka decided to feed Shelob. She had some extra mealworms on hand. When she dropped the mealworm next to Shelob, only then did she truly realize its massive size. It would take a great number of mealworms or crickets to sate this one. As for Taz, it was angry even when offered food. It would slap mercilessly at the intruding insect, bite defensively and letting go, rinse and repeat, until the prey was no longer moving. It also created some thick webbing which made viewing it very difficult. Ahsoka accepted the fact that she likely wouldn't be seeing it very often, thus jokingly referring it as a "pet web" or a "pet hole". At the very least, Bertha and Chewbacca were always out and about, not caring whether they were stared at.

 **Saturday, January 5th, 1991**

Not long after lunch, the kids went to play outside with Obi in the snow. Lux was with them. Now that Ahsoka's chores were done, she finally had a chance to play a quick game on her own. She loaded up the Mega Man 2 cart and began a session. She took a minute to see the new Robot Masters she was up against. Bubble Man, Air Man, Quick Man, Heat Man, Wood Man, Metal Man, Flash Man and finally Crash Man. After defeating all of those, she could access Dr. Wily's fortress, Skull Castle.

"Hmm… Whom do I go up against first ? Well, I like me some heavy metal music, so I'll start with… Metal Man !"

As she chose her opponent, she was surprised to see that the level was mostly conveyor belts. She grabbed the E-Tank lying on the end of a conveyor belt and kept moving. Eventually, she managed to reach the Robot Master. Ahsoka used a simple strategy : Jump and Shoot. By jumping every so often, she avoided the majority of Metal Man's Metal Blades. When he would jump towards her, she would run to the opposite end and resume her attack. With a little bit of energy left, she managed to defeat him and earn his weapon.

"So the Metal Blade is like a glorified buzzsaw… It would be logical to take on… Wood Man next !"

In Wood Man's stage, she was assaulted by various robotic animals such as bats, rabbits, monkeys and even some fire-breathing wolves. The last bit were robotic chickens, she quickly learned that if she stood still, the chickens would merely hop over her. As she began to face Wood Man, she had to wait until his Leaf Shield was gone in order to do some damage. The Metal Blades took ¾ of his energy bar on the first attack. After he lost his Leaf Shield, he was a goner. The Leaf Shield was 4 larges leaves rotating around her, protecting her from the majority of enemies. She decided to tackle Flash Man next. His level was slippery and had different pathways to the boss. She also met up with the iconic Sniper Joe riding a large mecha, which reminded her of the walkers clone troopers used on many missions.

After some difficulty, she managed to reach Flash Man. The only thing he could do, was either run into her or use his Flash Stopper to freeze her for a moment while he unloaded a barrage of bullets over a certain area. She was forced to use the menu and use an E-Tank to refill her energy bar. Afterwards, the fight was a joke. Not only was she awarded with the Flash Stopper, but Dr. Light gave an item called Item-3. It was a platform that would scale walls allowing to reach higher places usually unreachable.

She decided to tackle one last Robot Master before shutting off the Nes. She chose Bubble Man. Upon beginning the level, she was greeted with one of the catchiest themes of any video game released so far. The enemies in this level were mostly marine-based. Robotic frogs would release smaller versions of themselves, snails would be pacing back and forth in the shallow water section. Deep underwater, she had to contend with enormous anglerfish which could be defeated if their "light" was put out. In the meantime, shrimps would swarm her. There were also some jellyfish moving about. For a fairly large section, she had to navigate some small passageways littered with deadly mines that destroy upon contact, regardless of how much energy is left.

Over the last part of the level, there were some crabs falling from the sky. They were easily defeated, but they could knock down into the watery chasm, costing her a life. When she met up with Bubble Man, it was too easy. The Metal Blades made short work of him. She was awarded with the Bubble Lead for her victory. After that, she chose to take a break and shut off the console. "Much, much, much more bearable than the first one, that much I can say. And those level tunes were pretty catchy. I'll have them stuck in my head for some time."

She reached for her winter coat and made her way to the backyard. Lux and the kids were busy building a snowman while Obi was rolling in the snow. Ahsoka felt mischievous and formed a small snowball and threw it at Lux, hitting him in the back.

"Oh, so you wanna be like that, huh ?" Lux forms a snowball of his own and tosses it at her, hitting her right lek.

"You know that this means war, right ? Have at ya !" She threw him another snowball, hitting him in the face.

"Oh, you're asking for it, you naughty Togruta !" Lux ran up to her, knocking her down and filling her coat with snow, chilling her rear lek for good measure.

The kids were merely looking at the two adults, acting like children. They were quite amused by their parents' antics. It wasn't long until they joined in the fun. "SNOWBALL FIGHT !" They shouted.

Obi attempted to catch the snowballs in her mouth, she wasn't very good at it. She would attempt to eat the snow, only to spit it out seconds later. By the end of their "battle", all 4 entered and changed for dry clothes. Obi merely shook off the snow from her, causing a small but cleanable mess near the kitchen. They all enjoyed some hot chocolate to warm themselves up from the cold. Over dinner, they had chicken stew. Later on that night, Ahsoka sat by Mina, listening to her attempt to read the Tintin book. To say that she was doing well would be quite an understatement. Ahsoka was very proud at how quickly Mina was learning. In little time, she would be taught in the ways of the Force, allowing Mina to finally be able to control her powers.

 **Video games can be so addicting. Daniel will need to be careful with how much time he spends gaming. Next year, he begins preschool. As for Mina, Ahsoka will teach her the basics of her training with the Force. Will she become a Padawan ? Sort of. During their current busy lives, there won't be a lot of time for that to happen. Feel free to leave a review.**


	19. A Worrying Premonition

**Saturday, February 9th**

Ahsoka slowly opened her eyes. " _Uhhhh… Wh-what time is it ?_ " She glanced at the clock. 9:28 am. " _Oooooohhhh… My head hurts… I'm sore all over… What the kriff ?! How did I end up in bed with my shirt and jeans ?! This isn't like me at all !_ " She rose up with some difficulty and groggily made her way to the bathroom. Half an hour later, she was showered and re-clothed. As she walked down the stairs, she was surprised to see Kayla sitting with the kids, watching cartoons.

Kayla caught her friend passing by. "Morning, Party Girl ! How do you feel ?"

Ahsoka face palmed. " _Of course ! We celebrated my 28th birthday last night._ _Could it be that we went overboard with the drinks ? Looking at my current state, I'd say yes !_ " "I've had better mornings, Kayla…" She went to her ear. "Tell me I didn't make a fool of myself in front of the kids last night." Ahsoka whispered.

Kayla grinned. She directed herself to her montrals. "Not to worry, darling. You only got slightly stupid after the kids were put to bed. The only thing you did while they were still up, was your incessant rambling about how proud you were of them, how you loved them… and you kept asking for hugs every 2 minutes. They obviously didn't know better. They thought it was funny."

Ahsoka rubbed her forehead. "That still doesn't explain how I ended up in my shirt and jeans by the end of the night…"

"I can explain…" Lux walked towards her with a coffee mug in hand. "Care to join me in the washer/dryer room ?"

Lux cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I'm partially to blame for what occurred last night. When I stopped at the liquor store for extra beer, there was a salesperson offering samples of a drink called Irish Coffee. Basically, freshly brewed coffee, but there was a splash of Baileys Irish Cream and Jameson Irish Whiskey. I thought it tasted pretty good, so I bought a bottle of Irish Whiskey.

Anyways, we had invited Kayla for a sleepover. We had a nice dinner. Afterwards… I gave in to your cravings and went to get a 2nd bottle of wine for you and Kayla. After that, you were pretty much _gone_ , there was little point in trying to get you to stop. Thankfully, we put the kids to sleep by then. I talked about that coffee and you practically begged me to make you one.

By your 2nd coffee, you thought it was a great idea to play a bit of classical music while we waltzed around the living room. I figured it was time to call it a night. Not long after, you passed out. I simply wasn't in the mood to take off your clothes, so I laid you in bed as is."

Ahsoka face palmed. "For Force's Sake, Lux ! That's all ? I thought I might've done something really silly like stripping in front of you two."

Lux snorted a laugh. "Thankfully, it didn't get to that point. But waltzing to classical music is something you would never have done if you were sober. I must say it was amusing nonetheless."

Kayla soon walked in. "You should've seen yourself, darling. It was amusing to see you dragging Lux around. And you made a great impression of Leo Getz at the same time."

"WHAT ?! Tell me you didn't record me…"

Lux grinned from ear to ear. "Oh, but I did. It was too good to pass up. Listen to yourself." He pressed "Play" on a small cassette recorder.

"Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok. You're not dancing fast enough. Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok. Come on, you can go faster than that. Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok. You've got it !"

"'Soka, I think you've had a little too much to drink…"

"Darling, waltzing with Lux in your current state is the funniest thing ever… Ah ha ha ha ha…"

"Whatever, whatever…"

Ahsoka's lekku stripes darkened to their greatest extent. "It could've been a whole lot worse. Still, that would have confused the kids a great deal. They've never seen me dance to classical music."

Kayla patted her on the shoulder. "Hey, it was your birthday. It only happens once a year. You were absolutely entitled to a bit of fun."

"I can understand having a bit of fun, Kayla. But last night, I really overdid it. Remind me not to take any hard liquor after a long day at work."

They went back to the living room. The kids looked at their mother. Mina tried so hard not to laugh. "Hi Mommy, do you want a hug ?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, Mina. Mommy's had her share of hugs from you two for a little while."

Daniel only smiled back. "You were so funny last night, Mommy. You were like a parrot. You kept saying the same thing over and over."

She knelt down to him. "Yeah, Mommy can be funny like that, huh ?"

"Well, you two. I should be heading back home. Thanks for the quick breakfast, Lux."

"Would you like a ride back home ?" Ahsoka offered.

Lux cleared his throat. "You're in no condition to drive yet, 'Soka. I'll take her home."

As Lux took Kayla back to her apartment, Ahsoka sat in the kitchen and downed several glasses of water. " _Note to self : Do not allow yourself to go overboard like that again. Even if we are celebrating something._ "

Over the afternoon, Ahsoka managed to recover from her hangover and was playing Mega Man 2. After much practice, she managed to defeat all 8 Robot Masters and began her adventure into Skull Castle. The first level was relatively easy. Once she figured out how to reach the upper ladder in the screen with the large platform-less area, she reached the end with ease. As she was hopping from block to block, the Mecha-Dragon's sudden appearance almost broke her concentration. As the battle began, Ahsoka mashed the B button, shooting rapidly. The Mecha-Dragon retaliated with a barrage of fireballs. She quickly dodged by jumping on the lower block. After the fireballs passed above her, she hopped back onto the middle block and resumed her attack. With her quick reflexes, she managed to defeat the Mecha-Dragon on her first try. She considered herself lucky.

An hour later, Ahsoka conquered the next three levels of Skull Castle. Now she was facing each Robot Master for the 2nd time. After all 8 were defeated, she would finally take on Dr. Wily. The first part of the battle was relatively easy. She used the versatile Metal Blades to make short work of Wily's spaceship. The second part was more difficult, she had more projectiles to dodge. She was forced to use her last remaining E-Tank to replenish her energy. As she was about to lose everything, she managed to land the final hit, destroying Wily's spaceship and causing her to plummet into a chasm. This lead her to the final level. It had an eerie atmosphere as there was no music and all that was heard was the dripping of acid from the ceiling.

As she entered the final room, she was in for a major surprise. Apparently, Dr. Wily is really an alien ! It moved in a particular pattern. She tried every available weapon to cause damage. None worked… except the typically useless Bubble Lead. She carefully studied the movements of her enemy, after some time, she managed to come out victorious. So she wasn't even battling Wily afterall, it was just a hologram controlled by the madman. His machine failed, prompting Wily to surrender once again. The ending was short and to the point. It showed Mega Man walking back to his home through the seasons. At the end, his helmet was laid on the grass.

" _Ok, so I went through all that hardship for that ? What happened to him ? Did he just disappear ? Is there a 3rd game in the series ?_ " She wouldn't know until she would go to the rental store.

 **Sunday, July 21st**

It was Daniel's 4th birthday already. It was an incredibly hot day. Thankfully, Ahsoka and Lux had purchased a real pool, a couple years back. All 4 were cooling off while poor Obi was forced to lie under the table on the deck. For the occasion, they were ordering Chinese food. It was Daniel's first time eating oriental cuisine. He loved the egg rolls and salty noodles. After they had eaten, Daniel was given one of his gifts. In order to encourage him to read, not only did Daniel co-played Final Fantasy with his mother, but he was given a subscription to the gaming magazine, Nintendo Power. Inside, there was many games covered, especially the more impressive-looking ones on the upcoming console, the Super Nes. Daniel had a hunch that he would have the brand spanking new console on Christmas.

He looked up to his mother, slightly disappointed. "Mommy, I think this magazine is really cool… But I was expecting to be treated with another new game."

She knelt in front of him. "Today, you're not getting a new game."

Before he began to pout, she held him in her arms. "You're getting a new console and a game !" She whispered to his montrals.

Daniel gasped in shock. Ahsoka turned to Lux. "Go get his big gift, please."

Lux went inside and came back holding a fairly large box. "Ok, little buddy. This is something that myself and your mother saw when we were shopping for a gift. I don't completely agree with spoiling you so much as of late, but your mother insisted."

Lux placed the box in front of Daniel. He looked at it, wide-eyed.

He tried to read the name. "Se-ga… Ge-ne-sis ? So-nic the Hedge-hog ? Wow ! That looks so cool !"

"I thought it looked amazing when I saw the demo running. These new graphics are even better than what we've seen on the old Nintendo so far. Come on, let's give it a spin, shall we ?" Both mother and son raced to the living room.

Quickly unplugging the Nes and placing the Genesis in its place, they soon begun a session of Sonic the Hedgehog. It didn't take Ahsoka very long to figure out the gameplay mechanics. "All right, you need to jump on those animal robots, like Mario, to release your animal friends. Eventually, you'll encounter Dr. Robotnik, the villain of the game. You'll need to avoid his attacks and keep jumping on him to destroy his machinery. As long as you have at least one Ring on hand, you'll remain alive if you're hit by the enemy."

Over a couple of hours, Ahsoka and Daniel managed to get through Green Hills and Marble Zone. Afterwards, things got out of hand and they were "rewarded" with a Game Over screen.

 **Wednesday, September 25th**

Mina's 6th birthday occurred faster than they expected. As Daniel began preschool, Mina started 2nd grade. Ahsoka began to teach her daughter in the ways of the Force. At first, they began meditation.

"This is boring, Mommy."

Ahsoka sighed. "I thought the same when I was your age, Mina. Be silent. Listen to the Force. It will speak to you."

Mina began to feel her mother's past.

"You're reckless, little one. You wouldn't have made it as Obi-Wan's Padawan… But you might make it as mine."

"Doing what the Council says, that's one thing. How we do it, that's another."

"Ahsoka, I am so sorry. I should've never let you go. I should have tried harder !"

"I don't know what to say. You're welcome, my Padawan."

"They're asking you back, Ahsoka. I'm… asking you back."

"Ahsoka ! Ahsoka, I need to talk to you ! Why… are you doing this ?"

"What about me ? I stood by you ! I understand… I understand… more than you realize, wanting to walk away from the Order."

Then both Ahsoka and Mina felt uneasy. They both saw red. What it meant, neither knew. They heard a voice.

"If you will not turn to the Dark Side, then perhaps _she_ will !"

Both Ahsoka and Mina snapped out of their meditation.

"Mommy, what was that ?"

Ahsoka quickly grabbed her daughter and held her in a tight hug. "I'm not sure, Mina. I wish I knew."

 **Thursday, October 31st**

The kids had gotten their candy. Daniel told his mother about his experience at preschool.

"We were told about scary monsters like a Vampire, a Werewolf… even Frankenstein's Monster. It was creepy, Mommy."

Ahsoka shared a chocolate with him. "Daniel. It can't be all that bad. You're learning. Also, you're not letting your "gaming" addiction get the better of you. Tonight, there is a special on TV. You like our spiders, right ? Want to see some movies with them ?"

Daniel nodded happily. "Sure, Mommy."

Ahsoka only smiled in response. "Ok. Mina ? Want to see distant cousins of Bertha, Chewbacca and Shelob up close ? Come to the living room, then."

Both her children huddled to her. She served popcorn and water. They began with an airing of "Kingdom of the Spiders", starring William Shatner and Tiffany Bolling.

At first, they saw beautiful shots of Arizona, with a song by country singer Dorsey Burnette. Eventually, Rack Hansen (Shatner) and Diane Ashley (Bolling) were in charge of countering loads of tarantulas to invade Verde Valley. In the end, the town was covered in webs, creating a surreal ending.

After Kingdom of the Spiders, the TV channel aired Arachnophobia, a recent movie starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman. Aside the mysterious Venezuelan spider, the film team used a social crab spider species known as Delena cancerides. In the end, the exterminator saved the town from the invasive spider. After the movie was over, the kids quickly rushed to Bertha and Shelob, feeling sorry for their treatment in the movies.

 **Tuesday, December 24th**

Once again, another Christmas. Time went by way too quickly. After their fondue dinner, they opened their gifts. The major gift for the family was the highly anticipated Super Nes console. Aside the Super Mario World pack-in game, they also had SimCity, F-Zero, Final Fantasy II and Super Castlevania 4.

"We'll need TVs for all of these consoles." Ahsoka joked.

Mina was given books about animals. Some were dedicated to mammals, others to birds, reptiles, amphibians… and various invertebrates. Daniel was offered more gaming guides, such as Final Fantasy and Legend of Zelda. Ahsoka was given a new book titled Arachnomania : The keeping of Tarantulas and Scorpions by Phillipe de Vosjoli. Lux was offered a bottle of Crown Royal, a whiskey made in Canada.

 **So everyone is enjoying themselves for now. Eventually… things will change. Feel free to leave a review.**


	20. A brawl with a Bear and a Togruta

**Saturday, April 18th, 1992**

Since 6 am, the family were preparing themselves for a weekend camping trip. Everyone had gathered the necessary clothes and other basic items. At around 9, Lux entered the driveway with a rented pickup truck with the adjoined camper.

After loading their stuff into the camper, they began to make their way out of the city. With the expected heavy traffic, it took a while. Thankfully, the kids were distracted well enough with books and toys. About an hour of struggling through traffic, they were finally out of the city's limits. Several hours later, they reached their destination : Adirondack Park. They decided to set up camp near a lake.

The kids took to the beauty of nature readily. Daniel surprised his parents as he shut off his Game Boy to run around the area with Mina and Obi. As Lux set up the camper, a park official came to greet them.

"Good day, sir and miss. Welcome to Adirondack Park. It's my duty to give a couple of tips to new campers. First off, do not let your children or pets out of your sight. Second, be very careful to not leave food around since black bears have begun to come out of hibernation. Last, but not least, if you plan on making a fire over the evening, be sure to extinguish it properly before nodding off to sleep."

Ahsoka quickly turned around and whistled loudly to get the kids' attention. "Kids, Obi, come here, please !"

Lux nodded. "We'll be careful. Thank you for telling us about the bears."

Daniel looked to his father. "Daddy, can we do something fun ?"

Lux handed him a small hat. "Sure thing, little buddy. Wanna go fishing ?"

Daniel became excited very quickly. "Fishing ! That'll be fun !"

"Well, first thing first, we'll need to rent a canoe." Lux and Daniel went off, leaving the ladies on their own.

Mina looked to her mother. "What do we do ?"

"There's no one else around. I think we should continue with your training of the Force." Ahsoka suggested.

"Are we meditating again ?" Mina definitely didn't enjoy meditation… especially when she saw some frightening visions.

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, Mina. We'll work on some telekinesis exercises. See that rock ? Direct your hand at it. Lift it with the Force."

Mina extended her hand and closed her eyes. In a moment, the rock was floating in mid-air. Mina made it float above the shore of the lake. She released her grip on it, causing to splash into the water.

Mina opened her eyes. "Wow, Mommy. I really did that ?"

"I have a feeling you'll be a quick learner like I was. It won't be long until you get to build your own lightsaber."

Mina blinked a few times. "You mean that laser sword you've shown me before ?"

Ahsoka nodded. "That's right. But you still have a couple of years of training before we get to that point. And you'll need to balance your Force training and your school work. It's not going to be easy, but it's doable."

Over the afternoon, Mina learnt other basic skills such as Force Push and the Jedi Mind Trick. By 4:30, Lux and Daniel returned from their fishing trip.

Daniel was very happy to see his sister and mother. "Sis ! Mommy ! Guess what ? We caught some fish for dinner !" He proudly shows the fish he caught with a bit of Lux's help.

Fish was a rare treat for the family. They'd usually eat a lot of chicken and beef.

"Say we cook these over the fire ?" Lux suggested, causing Ahsoka to drool in anticipation.

"Sure ! But should we remove the skin and bones first ? I'll do it." She offered.

In several minutes, the fish were boneless and skinless. They used a large frying pan and placed it over the fire. The fish was seasoned with salt and pepper. This new taste experience was appreciated greatly by the kids. In a matter of minutes, all the fish was eaten.

Over the evening, they roasted marshmallows by the fire. It was a sticky, yet sweet "dessert". Other than the crackling of the fire, only the calls of loons venturing on the surface of the lake, was heard.

Later on, Lux and the kids went to sleep. Ahsoka sat by the fire and meditated. She soon had a troubling vision.

"So you've heeded my first warning…"

Ahsoka looked by the fire. She saw her adult self from Mortis. "Why are you appearing before me now ? Is there something else that threatens myself and my family ?"

Her adult self approached her. "By leaving your Master when you did, you saved yourself from a terrible fate. You are wise to teach your daughter of your knowledge with the Force. But that won't be enough. Eventually, the one called Vader will attempt to take away all that you hold dear."

Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "And why would he do that ?"

Her adult self frowned. "Don't you feel it ? Your daughter's connection to the Force is immense, as much as yours. He will attempt to turn you both to the Dark Side. You have put aside your training since you've arrived on this planet, 8 years ago. If you do not rekindle your connection with the Force, you will not be able to withstand Vader. Take up your lightsabers once more, immerse yourself into the Force… and you will be able to save yourself and your daughter from a fate worse than death."

It was Ahsoka's turn to frown. "I'm all for protecting my family, but our daily lives have become incredibly busy, making it difficult to the find the time to resume my training."

"Find the time for such, or face the consequences. The Galaxy as a whole will suffer. If she is brought to the Dark Side, Mina could become even more of a threat than Vader. Do not let this happen !" Ahsoka's adult self disappeared into the flames.

She shook her head. " _Seems I've got my work cut out for me. Mina to fall even further than Vader ? That's really hard to believe. That "warning" on Mortis did save my life when I left the Order. So be it, I'll teach Mina the best I can !_ "

As Ahsoka walked back into the camper, Lux was woken up by the door creaking. She soon laid beside him, changed into her nightclothes. She sighed loudly, covering herself with the blankets.

Lux turned to her. "Something troubling you, 'Soka ?"

"I've had a vision while I was meditating. Mina's future could be in jeopardy if I don't train her as well as myself. I haven't practiced my skills with the Force except in a few isolated occasions. We were foolish to believe that we'd be living peacefully. I was warned that Vader would come for Mina as well as myself. So I'll need to make time to get back up to speed, so to speak."

Lux raised an eyebrow. "What would the Empire want with you or Mina ? I don't understand."

"We're both Force-sensitive, Lux. Vader would certainly attempt to turn us to the Dark Side. I won't allow it to happen. Mina will be trained to the best of my ability."

Lux frowned slightly. "Don't you think she's a little too young to begin such intense training ? Let her enjoy her childhood, at the very least."

She turned to him. "I was brought to the Jedi Temple by Master Plo Koon when I was but 3 years old, Lux. When I was 7, I accompanied my clanmates to Illum to build my first lightsaber. The others were 10 and 11 years old. It's no surprise I was promoted to Padawan status at only 14. Usually, they are not allowed until 16 or 17. Everyone who taught me until I met up with Anakin told me my skills were advanced for my age. Recalling my lessons, I believe I can make a decent Force-user out of Mina."

"What about Daniel ?"

"Daniel isn't Force-sensitive, Lux. But I'm sure he'll turn out fine."

Lux nodded. "Yes, I have hope for him. He surprised me today by not spending so much time playing his games. I believe he enjoyed fishing with me. He was proud when he caught that large trout."

"He'll be ok. That vision took a bit out of me. Some sleep will do me well. Good night, love." She soon nodded off to sleep.

 **In a Galaxy, far, far away…**

Darth Vader was summoned by his Emperor. He knelt before him. "What is thy bidding, my Master ?"

Palpatine only smiled. "Surely you felt the great disturbance in the Force, Lord Vader. Skywalker's apprentice still lives. And with time, she has produced offspring. One of them is strong in the Force. They could be of use to us."

"To be made formidable Inquisitors, no doubt ?"

Palpatine rose from his seat. "Yes, they could become quite an asset… if they could be turned to the Dark Side."

"How will I find them ?"

Palpatine offered a holo-map. "One of our probe droids managed to find her location. In a far-off Galaxy, lies a backwater planet called Earth. Their technology is dated, useless. You will have no trouble capturing them."

Vader stood up. "When do you wish me to retrieve them ?"

"It is still too early. Allow Skywalker's apprentice to train her child for about a decade more. By then, he or she will possess massive potential for our cause."

"Very well. They will join us… or die, my Master." Vader made his way back to the Executor, to keep watch on the Death Star's continual construction.

 **Back on Earth, the next day…**

The family slowly woke. It was certainly different to not hear the incessant horns and sirens wailing at night. The call of the loon and field cricket had really lulled everyone to sleep. A quick breakfast of bacon and sausage followed. After eating, Lux took Daniel with him to do some birdwatching. Ahsoka took Mina and Obi in an abandoned trail.

She wasn't sure how she would explain her vision to her daughter, but Mina's Force training would need to be accelerated, in case the future duel would occur soon.

"Mina, the reason why I brought you on this trail… I've had a very scary vision last night. After you, Daniel and your father went to bed. And we need to talk about it."

Mina looked up to her mother, eyes in fear. "What did you see, Mommy ?"

Ahsoka took a deep breath before answering. "A very bad person will seek to take you away from me… to make you into a bad person yourself. In order to ensure that this vision doesn't come true, we're going to have to speed up your training with the Force. Case in point, I'll see to it that you build your lightsaber by the end of next summer !"

Mina felt both dread and excitement. "When do we start, Mommy ?"

"As soon as we get back home. I'll show you something important."

Suddenly, Obi stopped to sniff the air, moved her ears and growled.

Ahsoka knelt to her. "What is it, girl ? What do you smell or hear ?"

There was a loud crashing noise nearby. They turned around, to see a black bear entering the clearing, several meters away from them.

Ahsoka quickly grabbed Mina's shoulders. "Whatever you do, don't make any sudden movements. Let's hope it will ignore us." She grabbed hold of Obi's collar. "Obi, hush. Stay."

The bear sniffed the air and definitely was curious about the trio. As it got closer, Ahsoka strengthened her grip on both Mina and Obi. The latter began to growl more loudly and bared her canines towards the unpredictable predator. Ahsoka stood in front of Mina and Obi.

She locked her gaze with the bear. " _Obi can do little to help here, this bear is still too much for her to handle. I can't allow it to hurt Mina. What a time to be without my lightsabers ! Could I be capable of wrestling this animal without killing it ? It's a risk I'm going to have to take. That bear is about to learn a VERY dangerous lesson : NEVER stand between a mother and her young._ " Ahsoka tried to appear as big as possible, standing tall, her headtails flailing around, extra-sharp fangs bared. Mina stuck with Obi, watching the upcoming conflict with much nervousness.

The bear charged at Ahsoka. She quickly sidestepped, grabbed it by its fur before it could get to her daughter and dog. The bear whirled around, attempted to swat the Togruta with its paws. Thankfully, it missed her sensitive lekku by inches. She leapt on it and sank her fangs into its back. The bear roared in pain and tried to swat her again with its paws. Using her innate Togrutan flexibility, she quickly back flipped off the bear and Force-pushed it into a nearby tree. As it recovered from the blow, it quickly made its escape back into the woods.

Ahsoka took a few moments to calm herself down. The adrenaline rush helped her to deal with the situation. As she regained her breath, her beating heart slowed down steadily. She spat out the fur and little blood she had in her mouth. "All you all right, Mina ?"

Mina quickly ran into her mother's arms, crying loudly. "Waaaahhhh ! Mommy, I was so scared ! I thought you were going to get hurt ! Waaaaahhhh !"

She hugged her daughter, tears streaming down from her face. "I'm fine, Mina. Look, I'm not hurt ! You're ok, Mina. Don't worry, I would never let anyone or anything hurt you. Never. I promise you."

As Lux and Daniel returned from their birdwatching, Ahsoka came out of a trail, holding a crying Mina in her arms.

Lux feared the worst. "'Soka ? Has something happened to Mina ? Is she hurt ?"

Ahsoka made an effort to smile lightly. "Thank the Force, she was unharmed, Lux. We took an abandoned trail… and we ended up encountering a hungry black bear. I can safely say that it won't be attacking another Togruta."

Lux's eyes went wide in shock. "You didn't kill it, did you ?!"

She shook her head. "No, no, no. No killing occurred. All I did was push it with the Force into a nearby tree. It was enough to get it running off back into the woods. Still… the event has left Mina traumatized. I'm not sure if she'll be willing to go camping again."

Mina looked to her father, choking her sobs. "Can we… *hic* go back home, Daddy ? *hic* I… I'm scared ! *hic*"

Lux nodded in agreement. "We might as well head back. Let's gather everything, ok ?"

As they gathered their belongings into the camper, Mina kept looking all over, expecting the bear to reappear again.

Several hours later, they were back home. Mina quickly ran inside and made a beeline to the freezer. If there's one thing that would make the trauma go away (at least temporarily), it would be ice cream. She was offered two scoops of strawberry ice cream, her favorite as of several months back. By the time that Daniel got back into his gaming and Lux had returned the rented vehicles, Ahsoka brought Mina to her bedroom.

Ahsoka had brought with her a small pouch. Inside, were three crystals, two white ones and a green one. "These are Kyber crystals, Mina. They are the heart of the lightsaber. Without them, there is no life in your weapon. I believe this green one is meant to be yours. As I said earlier today, by next summer's end, you'll have your own lightsaber to wield and defend yourself with… should the need come. For your first lesson with lightsabers, all I want you to do is to watch how I rebuild mine."

Mina watched with great interest as Ahsoka de-constructed her old lightsaber and shoto. She put the green and yellow crystals into her pouch. She redesigned her shoto so it would be a standard lightsaber. Installing the white crystals, she re-constructed her weapons. From Mina's point of view, it looked extremely easy. Ahsoka knew her lightsabers like the back of her hand. Within minutes, Ahsoka ignited her new lightsabers, now giving off a brilliant white glow.

"Wow, Mommy ! It's so bright !" She commented.

Ahsoka thought that this could possibly offset Mina's trauma regarding the bear. Over the evening, Ahsoka recounted her tale of guiding Katooni, Zatt, Ganodi, Byph, Petro and Gungi to the Caves of Illum. Of course, she left out the encounter with the Space Pirate, Hondo Ohnaka. When Mina asked of what became of the Younglings, Ahsoka didn't have the heart to answer. When she felt the blow of Order 66, she could feel most of them fading into the Force. She assumed all 6 had perished.

For the time being, Ahsoka comforted herself that she, Lux and her children were still at large from the threat of the Galactic Empire. When a probe droid visited Earth several months ago and reported their location, she was so busy with work that she never noticed it floating between various buildings.

As she went to sleep, she had a vision involving her future self again, telling her that she isn't meant to redeem her old Master, Anakin Skywalker. But in order to be rid of her regret and guilt from leaving the Order, she would have to face him again, whom is now a vicious enforcer named Darth Vader. Ahsoka would attempt anything to prevent Mina from being turned to the Dark Side.

 **Saturday, June 20th**

After some consideration, Lux and Ahsoka finally installed an exterior hot tub for their "alone time". Since it was quite warm outside by evening, they would enjoy a soak for an hour or so before heading to bed over the weekends. With the ever present stress of their day jobs as well as constantly ensuring their children succeed in their education, these moments of relaxation did them a great favor. Over the first soak, Ahsoka had to get used how her headtails would react to the additional heat. They would twitch every now and then. With time, it would stop bothering her. As for Lux, his skin would wrinkle a bit, something that amused Ahsoka a great deal.

The kids would eventually be allowed to enjoy a little bit of warmth as long as one of their parents were present, in order to prevent accidental drowning. Daniel would be starting 1st grade on the coming fall. After hearing the continuous learning enthusiasm of Mina, Daniel had little doubt he would enjoy the challenge just as much.

 **Saturday, October 31st**

Once again, it was one of the kids' favorite holidays, Halloween. Mina chose to disguise herself as a vampire. The neat thing was that she didn't need the plastic fangs most kids usually get. She was lucky to inherit her mother's sharp fangs. The majority of homeowners were easily fooled. Daniel disguised himself as Superman. He kept running around, making whooshing sounds as if he was flying.

Ahsoka decided this year to really throw the homeowners in for a loop. She dressed as a hippie, wearing a wig and carrying a fake joint. She had seen the Cheech & Chong movies countless times, so she was capable of acting like the characters from the movies. She had a cassette player on her with the song "Up in Smoke" playing continuously. It was doing a great job at keeping her in the mood and causing her to grin all the time as if she was really high.

She would be careful to avoid using the offensive language, as seen in the movies, in front of her children. There were several people who really enjoyed her disguise. There was one particular couple that absolutely insisted to take a picture of her with them. This would be remembered for quite some time.

When they returned home, they unloaded their hoard of candy. To say the kids would be a bit hyperactive this particular year would be a major understatement. If anything, the excess sugar did contribute to homework being done at a faster rate.

 **So the future is becoming more and more interesting for the Bonteri family. A clash between former master and student will occur eventually. The big question is when will it occur ? Your guess is as good as mine. Feel free to review.**


	21. New Lightsaber and the Worst Prank Ever

**Thursday, June 10th, 1993**

A major heatwave was wreaking havoc in the State of New York. Its well-known metropolis wasn't spared of nature's wrath. Aside a heatwave which boosted the humidity to uncomfortable levels, there was also an electrical storm to contend with. Daniel was the only one sleeping soundly. Mina was distracted by the constant flashes of lightning at her bedroom window coming every few seconds. After several lightning strikes, thunder would boom all over the city.

In Lux and Ahsoka's room, both had trouble falling asleep for different reasons. Ahsoka's constant tossing and turning kept Lux awake. For Ahsoka, the high humidity was problematic for her. Being native to the warm and dry planet of Shili, the heightened ambient humidity caused her to sweat more than usual, especially from her headtails. They were completely drenched in sweat, making sleep near impossible. Her bedsheets had quickly become wet and cold. Never mind that she was wearing the absolute minimum, it still wasn't comfortable.

"'Soka, are you all right ? You keep tossing and turning."

She turned to him. "No, Lux. I'm _not_ all right. All this excess humidity is doing a number on me."

He raised an eyebrow. "We've had heatwaves coupled with thunderstorms before… Probably not as intense as of now. I'm surprised that it bothers you, coming from Shili and all…"

Lux could likely hear her roll her eyes in annoyance. "Lux, dearie. Shili is covered for the most part by scrubland, meaning that we have dry heat there rather than the stuffy, muggy, humid heat that we're enduring here."

"It can't be all that bad, 'Soka."

She groaned in irritation. "Don't believe me, huh ? Here, run your hand down my back lek. Go on, do it." She offered.

Lux complied and quickly came to the realization that she was indeed struggling to keep cool. "By the Force, 'Soka ! It's completely coated in sweat ! Is that normal ?"

"I guess it is. It's the first time my body reacts so drastically… Then again, I've never endured such high humidity before. Even with the air conditioning and the ceiling fan going at its fastest speed, it isn't helping. And let's not even think of opening the windows with that heavy rain pouring down."

Their discussion was cut off when they heard Obi's whimpering and panting. She made her way to the master bedroom, licking her lips every few moments.

Lux rose up. "What's with her ?"

"She's likely terrified from the thunder. Remember, a dog's hearing is much more sensitive than humans." Ahsoka patted the spot between herself and Lux. "Come on, Obi. Come on ! Come see Mommy !"

Obi quickly hopped onto the bed and settled next to Ahsoka. She placed a reassuring hand on her dog, whom was trembling incessantly. "Awww, poor, poor Obi. Thunder scares you, huh ? It's ok. It's ok. Mommy's here. Sleep, sweetie. Sleep." In little time, all three fell asleep despite the uncomfortable conditions.

 **Friday, June 11th**

The first thing Ahsoka did upon waking up, was to take a quick cold shower to cool herself a bit. A typical hot shower followed, bringing her back. As she went down to the kitchen, Mina and Daniel were already helping themselves with their favorite breakfast cereals. Mina adored Golden Grahams while Daniel preferred Honey Nut Cheerios.

The family had already planned to see Jurassic Park at the movie theater. Mina was dreading it a little bit since there would be some on-screen violence, something she still struggled with. Daniel, on the other hand, could describe his excitement over the upcoming film in two words. _Tyrannosaurus rex_. The trailer had shown a brief glimpse of the so-called "King of Lizards" chasing down some people in a Jeep.

Soon turning 6, he really took well to reading since Ahsoka had offered him various gaming magazines a couple of years ago, to encourage him to read. Both he and his sister enjoyed when they visited the New York Public library, perusing any and all books pertaining to their specific interests. Mina was quickly fascinated by all marine animals and also wanted to read about other topics, such as geography and regional delicacies. Daniel took a deep interest in anything about dinosaurs and also anything concerning various mythologies of various cultures.

Following school, it was decided that they would have a dinner and movie night. Ahsoka suggested to take the kids to Wings-R-Us, one of Kayla's favorite eating spots. It would also be Lux's first time there. About half an hour of struggling through heavy traffic, they finally came upon a free parking spot and quickly entered the restaurant.

As they entered, they were "greeted" by King Diamond's "The Family Ghost" playing in the background. Both Mina and Ahsoka felt comfortable, Daniel and Lux thought it was unnecessarily loud. They quickly sat at a table of 4 and waited for service to begin.

The music changed to Iron Maiden's "Fear of the Dark". It certainly brought a smile to both girls. "Seems they've got great taste here, Mom."

"It's just beginning, Mina. There's no telling what you'll hear next." Ahsoka knew at this point that taking Mina to a future Ozzy Osbourne concert would be a great way for them to bond.

They didn't have to wait long, a very familiar waitress soon walked up to them. "Why, hello there ! Ahsoka, was it ? Kayla must have left out the bit that you had a family. Welcome, everyone. My name is Shirley and I'll be taking your orders."

"Please allow me to introduce. This is my husband, Lux. These two are Mina and Daniel." She turned to her children. "Miss Shirley is a friend of Auntie Kayla. You'll like her, I'm sure."

She knelt to the children. "Aren't you both just adorable ? What can I get you two ?"

The children looked up to their mother, they really weren't sure what to say. Ahsoka chose to speak for them. "Do you happen to have anything boneless for them ? Like chicken fingers or something similar ?"

Shirley thought for a moment. "Hmm. Well, I have something I'm sure the kids will enjoy : Boneless Chicken Wings. Basically white meat fried in a batter and it's accompanied with a sauce of their choice. Let's see… we have… BBQ, Honey Garlic, Thai, Plain, Ranch and Caesar."

Both children made a snap decision. "Honey Garlic ! Honey Garlic !" They shouted in unison.

Shirley began to scribble orders on her notepad. "So… Honey Garlic Boneless Wings for the kids ? What should I offer them as drinks ? I have water, juice, and soda."

"I think they can handle a Coke at this hour. For myself and Lux, I'd like to try your Hot Wings… but do you have them with a milder mix ?" She looked at the menu, looking at the various options.

"Oh ? You want mild Hot Wings ? I can do that, no problem. We simply leave the tabasco sauce and we replace the cayenne pepper with a normal pepper rub. How's that sound to you ?" Shirley offered.

Ahsoka nodded. "Sounds good. Unlike last time I came here with Kayla, I cannot take a pitcher of beer." She turned to Lux. "Hey, let's try something new, Lux. How about a Heineken ? I don't think we've tried that one anywhere… or have we ?"

Lux scratched his head in thought. "We haven't… and since these wings will be a new experience for me, I might as well try a new beer. Sure, let's go with your suggestion, 'Soka."

"Ok, so mild Hot Wings and a couple of Heineken for you two ? Perfect ! I'll have the drinks for all four of you in a minute." Shirley raced to the bar.

The next song to play in the background really took all the patrons by surprise. It was a live recording of the Black Sabbath classic "Paranoid", but it featured the late guitarist Rhandy Rhoads, instead of Tony Iommi. Rhoads had paid just tribute and it was even better.

Mina just moved to the music and almost knocked her brother off his chair. "Mom, can I ask you something ?"

Ahsoka gave Mina all her attention. "Sure thing. What is it ?"

"Can you promise me that you'll take me to one of those shows ? They sound so exciting !"

"I certainly plan on it, Mina. How about we make it… your 10th birthday present ?" Ahsoka offered.

"Mom ! Really ?! I like that idea ! Please ! Please ! Please ! Please !" She begged.

Ahsoka laughed at Mina's excitement. "Settle down, young one. We still have roughly 2 years before it happens, but mark my words : It will happen."

The exchange between Mina and Ahsoka gave Daniel an idea. "Dad ? If Mom is taking Mina to a concert, could you take me to the museum ? I'd really like to see the skeletons as close as I possibly can."

Lux cleared his throat. "I see no problem with that, son. There is actually a special exhibition coming up at the Museum of Natural History. It was a small blurb in the newspaper, but they mentioned they would be getting several skeletons from other museums from all over the world."

That apparently made Daniel's evening. "Cool ! I wonder what they'll have in store for us ?"

Shirley appeared with the drinks. "Here we are. Heineken for Mom and Dad… and Coke for the kids. Your food should be ready in about 15 minutes. And remember, kids, refills are free."

Mina and Daniel high-fived each other. "This is such an awesome evening so far. Thanks Mom. Thanks Dad."

Lux chuckled at their excitement. "It was your mother's idea. Despite not being a fan of rock music, I do enjoy the atmosphere of this place. Reminds me of Leonard's back at Onderon. Do you remember, sweetheart ?"

Ahsoka grinned. "How could I forget ? It was my first time dining in such a place, trying my first beer… and I kinda made a scene by losing control of myself and let out that belch that caught everyone's attention."

"Really, Mom ? It must have been pretty funny." Mina snickered.

"Well, I had a good friend named Saw, whom was with us. When your mother did what she did, the patrons cheered her and Saw was almost rolling on the floor in laughter." Lux explained.

The music then changed to Deep Purple's "Pictures of Home". Ahsoka and Mina were trying to mimic Lord's keyboard solos by tapping their fingers on the table.

After a little while, the food was finally delivered. Everyone quickly ate their share.

Lux struggled to eat his portion of the wings. "You call that mild ? It stings a bit."

"Trust me, Lux. It was a lot stronger with the cayenne pepper. So much that afterwards, my lips hurt. And make sure to make a trip to the restroom afterwards, you might have a bit of gas following the meal." She suggested.

Both Mina and Daniel were almost fighting to have an equal share of their food. The meal was a hit with them. They would certainly come back for more. Mina already decided in her mind that she would try the Thai flavour next time she came here.

After the meal and necessary restroom breaks were done, Lux paid for everyone and they made their way to the movie theater. As expected, it was packed with people.

5 minutes before it started, everyone had their drinks and popcorn on them. Lux and Ahsoka sat next to each other, sharing a large size container. Mina and Daniel stood next to them, sharing a small size container.

By the time the group saw the enormous _Brachiosaurus_ , several people had dropped their soft drink or popcorn in shock and awe. Everyone held to their chairs as they heard the _Velociraptors_ tear a harnessed cow to shreds. They didn't need to see the carnage, they could imagine it… and their imagination did them well… especially when the harness returned in pieces.

Over the middle point of the film, the _Tyrannosaurus rex_ finally made its long-awaited appearance. Seems the filmmakers had done their research, the "King of Lizard" was as terrifying as it was depicted in books. The entire audience felt the intensity when it tried to eat the children, only protected by the sunroof window. No one really felt bad for Dennis Nedry, the corrupted programmer, when he failed to deliver embryos to a rival corporation… and met his end with the creepy, but cool _Dilophosaurus_.

Against all odds, the main characters survived the onslaught of the predatory dinosaurs. In the end, just when the _Velociraptors_ were closing in for a lethal attack, the _Tyrannosaurus rex_ unintentionally "saved the day" for the main characters. The dinosaur theme park was abandoned and the survivors flew off to safety and back to civilization.

As they walked out of the theater, the family would never look at dinosaurs the same way again.

"They looked so real. Now I know how it would feel from being hunted by one of those…" Ahsoka huddled herself, still reeling from the strong emotions she felt during the more intense parts of the film.

Daniel came out satisfied, he felt they were portrayed really well. Seeing the T-Rex was the major highlight for him. Mina did feel strong emotions at some point or other, she would occasionally grip her mother's arm for comfort. Lux lauded their work from a technical point of view. The computers used for the CGI must have been Macintosh.

 **Saturday, August 28th**

While Lux was busy reading his newspaper and Daniel with his gaming, Mina was in the process of finalizing the construction of her first lightsaber. Everything seemed to be going well, until it fell apart. Again.

"This isn't working, Mom ! No matter how hard I try, it never ends up being in one piece." Mina uttered.

Ahsoka knelt to her. "If I was able to create my lightsaber at your age, so can you. Please, Mina. You need to tap into the Force more. It will guide you through the process. There is no other way. Trust in the Force."

Mina closed her eyes and reached out with the Force. Suddenly, all the parts forming the lightsaber began to connect with one another. As the final click was heard, Mina grabbed her lightsaber and ignited it, giving off a green glow all over the room.

Ahsoka placed a hand on Mina's shoulder. "See ? You can do it. You only need to gain a bit more confidence in yourself. Let's show this to your father and brother, ok ?" She called out to the lower floor. "Lux ! Daniel ! Come up to Mina's room ! There's something you need to see !"

They quickly ran to her room. Lux was surprised it was already done. "Wow ! You started on that like an hour ago. Already finished ? You certainly learn quickly, Mina."

"That's cool, sis ! Your own laser sword ! So I guess you and Mom will be "fencing" sooner or later." Daniel soon ran back downstairs to resume his game.

Mina shook her head in disappointment. "Games, games, games. It's all he cares about."

Ahsoka understood her frustration all too well. "He'll come around eventually, Mina. He's still only 6 years old and you'll be 8 later this fall. Give him a chance to grow up."

"So when do you start to train me, Mom ?"

"We'll start after your 8th birthday, ok ? You need to realize, this isn't going to be easy. It took me close to a decade of intense training, before I was sent out to the front lines during the Clone Wars. They weren't happy times, but they were good times. I enjoyed cleaving my way through the ranks of battle droids. I'm beginning to miss all that excitement." Ahsoka would soon begin with Djem So, then moving on slowly to Ataru… and if Mina was given the opportunity to make a second lightsaber, Jar'Kai.

 **Tuesday, December 6th, 1994**

Almost a year and a half went by since the family's last major film evening. Usually, they would never go out on a weeknight, but they made it an exception since the film looked to be quite a hoot from the trailers seen on TV. The movie in question was Dumb & Dumber. Having Jim Carrey on board made Lux slightly wary. He thought Ace Ventura : Pet Detective was just downright stupid. Ahsoka, on the other hand, was looking forward to Jeff Daniels' acting, since she loved him on Arachnophobia.

Soon, everyone was settled and the movie began. The kids were easily amused by the duo's childish antics. The parents had a good laugh over the van disguised as a dog. If anything, some of the pranks by the duo would give people bad ideas. Such as fooling a group of people to take their tab at a restaurant… or placing hot peppers on the burger of a person known to suffer ulcers. By the time Lloyd and Harry reached Aspen, things took a turn for the zany. Spending money that wasn't theirs was one thing, but giving glamorous tips to hotel workers was another. At the Gala, Daniels' character probably told the best joke in the entire movie : Bulldog + Shih Tzu = Bullshit. The entire audience roared with laughter at that moment.

Another memorable moment was Lloyd pranking Harry by slipping a _lot_ of laxatives in his coffee. By the time Harry had to _go_ , the parents felt somewhat uncomfortable by the scene while children laughed it up. Mina and Daniel were no exceptions. Over the ending, both were left with nothing but their clothes. They were hitchhiking over a barren road. Upon coming across a tour bus filled with lovely ladies, the two idiots suggest they can find some good men at a nearby town… instead of themselves. The movie ended with each other playing tag.

As everyone left the theater, Mina and Daniel had trouble containing their laughter. Lux was only mildly amused, Ahsoka only slightly more.

"I wouldn't say that it was a complete waste of time or money, Lux. The movie did offer us some genuine laughs." She quickly turned to her children. "Don't get any ideas, huh ? Some of these pranks have serious consequences."

 **Thursday, March 26th, 1995**

The weather was unusually warm at this time of year, it was difficult to really know how to dress one's self. As a result, Ahsoka did catch a cold. Her first in a very long time. She had stayed in bed from a few days and wasn't willing to miss work for a 4th consecutive day. She was currently showering while Mina and Daniel had a very bad idea. Lux had slight constipation issues and had to use laxatives to give him a hand. Right next to Lux's medicine, was Ahsoka's cold medicine. They chose to switch the order of the bottles and turned them so the labels weren't visible. In order to confuse their mother some more, they placed her tablespoon over the laxatives medicine bottle.

As they raced for their school bus, Ahsoka came down for her medicine, still feeling groggy. As expected, she didn't even bother to look at the labels. She took two spoonfulls of the laxatives. " _Yuck ! Is it me or does Buckleys' taste even worse than before ? Then again, my taste buds as well as my sense of smell are still messed up. Ok, off to work !_ "

Halfway on her commute to work, Ahsoka felt something was _very_ wrong. "Oh, Force ! Not now ! Not now ! Not now ! Just my luck, in the middle of my way and I get _that_ urge. Gotta calm down. I can at least hold myself together until I get to work."

The second she pulled into her usual parking spot, she quickly ran inside the garage, towards the employee bathroom. She slammed the door shut. Both Burt and Will tried to get to work, but were distracted by her apparent troubles.

"Unbuckle, you kriffing belt ! Come on, hurry, hurry, hurry !"

They heard a multitude of farts and groans coming from there.

Burt took off his glasses. "Holy Shit !"

"I'll say ! This is the first time I see her like that. Can't be feelin' too good, huh ?" Will scratched the back of his neck with his cap.

Several minutes later, she finally came out, placing a hand on her stomach. "Huff… Whatever… you… do… Huff… Huff… Let… the… air… circulate… for… a… few… hours. Phew."

Burt tried to hold in his laughter, but failed miserably. "Constipation troubles ?"

A proverbial light bulb appeared over her head. She face-palmed. "Of course ! That explains it all ! No wonder the medicine tasted funny. So I took Lux's laxatives by mistake… or _someone_ decided to pull a prank on me !"

"Are you all right ? Do you think you'll be able to last the day ?" He handed her the toolbox.

She nodded. "Yeah, I think I'll be fine. And tonight… _someone's_ likely getting grounded."

Later that evening, she gathered the family in the kitchen. "The reason why I called you all here, is there is a possibility that I _might_ have been the victim of a malicious prank. I'd like to know who did _this_!" She motioned to the medicine bottles, confirming that she indeed took the laxatives.

Lux cleared up his throat. "You should know by now, 'Soka. It's not my style to do something like this."

They turned their gaze to the children. After several minutes of staying silent, both Mina and Daniel snorted in laughter. It was cut short when they noticed their mother's glare.

"So it was you _TWO_ that did _THIS_?!" She quickly grabbed them both by their left and right montral respectively.

"Ow ! Ow ! Ow ! Hurts ! Hurts ! Hurts !" They cried out.

"As of _RIGHT NOW_ , you two are grounded until summer ! Mina, I will be confiscating all of your books ! And Daniel, video games are off-limits until I say so !"

Lux cleared his throat, throwing a disappointed glare towards his children. "Let me guess ? You had that idea from the movie we've seen last winter, right ? I thought you two were better than that. But it seems not. For my part of enforcing your punishment, no sweets or fast food until summer ! Now go to your rooms, both of you ! Think about what anguish you've willingly caused your mother !"

As the children ran to their rooms, the two parents sat next to each other. Lux broke the silence. "If you don't mind me asking, 'Soka… that must've been painful, right ?"

She sighed. "You have no idea, Lux. It hurts to be sitting right now. But I should be back to normal in a few days. Was… was I too harsh for their punishment ?"

Lux shook his head. "Not at all. If they pulled that on me, I would've reacted as you did. Let's hope they won't attempt anything else like this… ever."

They shared an embrace as the children fell asleep upstairs. Hopefully, no pranks of this kind would ever be attempted again.

 **And here ends yet another chapter. First up, I would like to apologize to all those of you that would be offended by the nature of this prank. To those of you that took it in good stride, we'll have some "normal" humor in the coming chapters. Coming up in the next chapter, the Blanks are invited for a dinner with the Bonteris and Mina and Ahsoka will bond over an upcoming concert. Please feel free to leave a review.**


	22. The Battle of The Princes of Darkness

**Saturday, June 24th**

Summer vacation had officially begun for the children. And in turn, their grounding for having pranked their mother several months ago was finally lifted. Upon waking up, taking a quick bath and a simple breakfast, Mina and Daniel were back to their old habits. Mina had her nose in a book and Daniel was already resuming his video games.

Ahsoka soon came down to meet them. "Good morning, kids. So, summer has begun… and I see you've already returned to your typical habits. Answer me this : Have you learned your lesson ? Will you prank me or your father again ?"

"Yes, Mom. No, Mom." They replied in unison.

She nodded her approval. "Good. So a clean slate begins for you two. We had told you that Mr. Blank and his family was coming tonight for dinner, right ?"

Mina stuck out her head from her book. "Sooo… Travis is coming too ? Yes ! No doubt he'll be very impressed by my book collection. And I guess I could show him my lightsabers."

Lux came back from the backyard with Obi. "I don't like the looks of things, 'Soka. Going by the weather predictions, there is a possibility of showers later tonight by dinnertime."

"Well, that won't help. We won't be able to make our BBQ chicken if that happens." She began to think of alternative ways to cook the food.

Lux smirked at her. "Heh, relax. Come rain or shine, we _are_ having BBQ chicken."

She raised an eye marking at his remark. " _What is he planning ? How is he going to stand in pouring rain to check on the chicken… from time to time ?_ "

Over the afternoon, Ahsoka and Mina were practicing various forms of lightsaber combat. Mina, ever being the quick learner, had already made a second lightsaber and was taught the basics of Jar'Kai. She had learnt to block the strikes from her mother and could also free herself from a saberlock.

Ahsoka signaled that she was done and reached for a towel and water bottle. "You're doing terrific, Mina. I have little doubt that after several more years of training, you could hold your own against General Grievous or even Asajj Ventress. We'll keep up the training over the weekends, ok ?"

Mina couldn't be more pleased. She had been looking forward to learning to fight with two lightsabers, like her mother. She definitely enjoyed sparring. "Thanks, Mom. I'm glad that I'm meeting your expectations."

Ahsoka shook her head. "Meeting them ? Mina, you're exceeding them… by far ! You are pretty much like me when I was your age, back at the Temple. Everyone that trained me during my Youngling years saw me as unusually gifted with the Force. And it seems you've inherited that gift upon birth. So far, you keep being ahead of everyone. I have the feeling you'll go places in Life."

Not long after the Blank Family arrived, dark clouds began to form around the area. Wind was picking up. No doubt there would be some scattered showers, as Lux predicted.

Following a couple of beers, Lux went to check on the chicken. Everyone in the house were distracted by casual discussion. Mina showed Travis her book collection and lightsabers, explaining how they worked. Daniel was still caught up in his games. Burt and Linda were sipping a Gin & Tonic and a Scotch of the Rocks respectively. The Johnnie Walker Black Label was certainly different from the typical Red Label. Lux was aiming for the expensive Blue Label around Christmas time.

Ahsoka turned around and looked outside. It was pouring. "Oh no ! Where's Lux ? He'll be soaked !"

While she went to grab herself a beer, Lux came out of the shed, in his raincoat. But he wanted to amuse his guests and family a bit. So he decided to act the goof. He wore fins, had the oxygen tank, diving goggles and to top it all off, he had a snorkel.

Linda almost dropped her drink when she noticed him. "What the ? Is that your husband ?!"

Ahsoka quickly turned and blinked a few times. "What. The. Force ?! Oh, kriff. Mina, get the camcorder, hurry, hurry, hurry !"

As Mina began to record her goofy father, everyone chuckled at the unexpected sight. Travis could barely hold himself together and ran to the bathroom before soiling himself in laughter. Daniel was rolling on the floor, laughing like crazy.

Burt almost spat out his drink, laughing. "Geez ! I knew that you were loony, but I didn't see that coming from Lux !" Then a proverbial light bulb appeared over his head. "You _gotta_ send this to America's Funniest Home Videos, girl. You're sure to win that 10 000.00$."

Ahsoka almost spat out her beer. "Yeah, right. I'll be sitting right next to Bob Saget as he interviews us. Like that'll happen." She snorted out a laugh.

Lux came inside, holding the chicken. Fortunately, he came in quickly enough that it didn't have time to get wet. He went back into the shed to place all his scuba diving equipment where they originally were.

"Did you drink that much already ? What was going on in that crazy mind of yours ?" Ahsoka struggled to hold her laughter while she poured the wine.

Lux shook his head. "Hardly. Only a couple of beers, nothing to make me drunk. And besides, I had that idea in my head since morning. I was hoping it would rain so I could give you all a good laugh. From what I can see, it worked."

Mina showed him the camcorder. "We recorded you, Dad. Mr. Blank thinks we should send it to the funny video show."

Lux burst out in laughter. "Ha ha ha ! You recorded me in that suit ? And about sending the tape to America's Funniest Home Videos… why not ? Our chances of winning the prize money are really good. I don't think anyone yet attempted to cook a BBQ chicken in a scuba diving suit… in the rain ! I can imagine Bob Saget's reaction already. He would likely be shaking his head in disbelief. It would be priceless."

Everyone settled down for the meal. The chicken, as expected, was cooked and seasoned to perfection. Everyone had a couple of servings. What little meat was left, would be used to make Hot Chicken the following day. By the end of the evening, the Blanks left and everyone was getting ready for bed. The dinner was an absolute success.

 **Friday, July 7th**

A typical summer day went by. The children stayed home while the parents were off to work. When the mailman passed by, he placed a particular letter in the mailbox. Mina quickly raced outside to fetch it. Her eyes grew the size of planets.

"Oh wow ! Oh wow ! Daniel ! Daniel ! Look ! It's from the funny video show !" She tore open the letter.

"Dear Lux Bonteri,

your video clip has been approved to be featured on the next episode of America's Funniest Home Videos. We invite you and your family to the set. We look forward to meeting you in person.

Sincerely,

Bob Saget"

Daniel couldn't believe his eyes. "Wow ! We get to meet Bob Saget ! He's so funny !"

"Wait till Mom hears about this. I know that Mom doesn't want us to call unless it's urgent… Oh, I'll call anyway." Mina dialed the number to Ahsoka's work.

"Blank's Automobile Repairs, Burt speaking."

"Hello, Mr. Blank. May I speak to Ahsoka, please ?"

"Who's this ? Oh, little Mina ! Give me a moment, I'll see if your mother is free."

Several minutes pass. "Hello ? Mina ? Is something wrong, sweetie ?"

"Hi, Mom. No, nothing's wrong. I know you told me not to call unless it's urgent… but we got a letter from the funny video show. We're going to see Dad on TV. And we'll be on TV too, because they invited us to the set."

Silence.

"Mom ?"

"Yes, sweetie. I'm here. Just taking this news as best as I can. Thanks for letting me know. Remember to take out the microwave pizza from the fridge, ok ? And try not to indulge yourselves too much with soda, ok ? We'll think of some way to celebrate this tonight. See you around 3. Bye now."

"Bye, Mom. See you in a bit."

As Noon arrived, Mina placed the provided pizza in the microwave. Several minutes later, brother and sister ate their half. It wasn't as good as takeout pizza, but it was better than sandwiches, which they had almost every day at school. Daniel would be turning 8 soon and Mina was finally hitting 10. She was mature enough to look after her brother while the parents were gone. She would often sit besides him when he played his games, she would observe once in a while. She pretty much always had a book in her hand. She would soon begin 6th Grade. Afterwards, she would leave Elementary school and move on to Middle school.

Evening came, Lux chose to celebrate by ordering seafood. Breaded shrimps, clams, scallops and Fish & Chips made up their menu. Over the following morning, he would call up for necessary plane tickets to Hollywood, California. On her part, Ahsoka called up Kayla so she could pick up Obi and keep her at her apartment while they were gone. On Monday morning, both parents would arrange with their bosses to have a long weekend so they can take their trip without stress.

 **Thursday, July 13th**

Following a not-too stressful flight, the family landed in Hollywood. The first thing they noticed was the climate. It was pretty warm, but a dry warmth as opposed to New York's muggy, humid warmth. As they made their way towards the exit of the airport, there was a man holding a sign written "BONTERI" on it.

"That's us, right ?" Lux joked with a wide grin.

They were taken to a limousine. "Welcome to Hollywood. Mr. Saget regrets that he couldn't come to meet you in person, so I've been tasked to take you to your hotel. By the way, the name is Francis. Please, make yourselves comfortable." He motioned to them to enter the vehicle.

The ride to the hotel was definitely enjoyable. Highly expensive Champagne was provided for Lux and Ahsoka. There was even a Sega Saturn inside the car so Daniel could game a little bit. There was also a computer, which Mina used to browse the Internet. For food, there was pizza, fried chicken and even caviar for the adventurous.

Ahsoka was very impressed by their treatment of VIPs. "I can see that no expenses were spared here. What do you think, Lux ?"

Lux had his mouth full with crackers and caviar. "This is great ! You should try it, 'Soka."

She sniffed at the caviar. "Uh, no thanks. You can have it all, dear."

About half an hour later, they finally arrived at their hotel. Francis helped them with their luggage. "And there we are, esteemed guests. You have until 6 pm on Sunday to explore the city. I will take you to the studio where the show takes place at that time. Good evening to you all."

Lux went ahead to check in for their reservation. They were offered a glamourous family suite with a small bar, a hot tub, a private swimming pool and even a pool table. "All of that because I decided to be silly. I should do it more often, huh ?"

As they made their way to their suite, Lux got distracted and bumped into a person.

"Hey, brother ! Look where you goin', yo !"

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. I didn't mean to…" Lux stopped when he recognized the person.

Even Ahsoka's eyes grew wide in surprise. She turned to her children. "Doesn't he look familiar, children ?"

Mina gathered the courage to speak. "Y-you're Will Smith, aren't you ?"

He beamed immediately. "Woo ! We got fans here, Alfonso ! Where you guys from ?"

Ahsoka's lekku darkened for a moment. "We're from New York. We're special guests for America's Funniest Home Videos."

Daniel pointed towards the other. "You're the guy that plays Carlton, right ?"

Alfonso simply smiled and laughed a bit. "You're a smart boy ! Yeah, people know me best as Carlton Banks."

Lux cleared his throat. "My sincere apologies, Mr. Smith. I should be more careful."

Will just chuckled. "It's cool, yo ! You homies look like good people. And that hairstyle is wacked-out, girl ! What are you trying to do, surpass Marge Simpson or something ?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, it's just unique and it takes a lot of time to actually get together. Certainly makes us stick out like a sore thumb, huh ?"

Alfonso cleared his throat. "Hey, Will. We're gonna be late. James Avery is expecting us soon, so we have to go." He shook Daniel's hand. "Nice meeting all of you. Enjoy Hollywood while you're here ! Lotsa places to see and stuff to do !"

They began to head out and Will turned to face the Bonteris, waving them good bye. "Hey, stay fresh, y'all !"

"Well… what were the odds of meeting some of the actors of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, huh ? They were genuinely nice to us." Ahsoka made a mental note to try to find time to watch the series. She had occasionally sat through various episodes, enjoying the humor and witty retorts by Will.

Daniel scratched his head. "Who is James Avery ?"

Mina rolled her eyes. "Oh, Daniel. Come on ! He plays Uncle Phil !"

He remembered now. "Oh, that guy ! He's kinda funny and a bit scary… when he's mad."

Mina whispered to her brother's left montral. "And get this… you know him elsewhere… He did the voice of Shredder on Ninja Turtles."

Daniel's jaw dropped in shock. "What ?! No way ! That's so cool !"

The family soon reached their suite. While the kids were fast asleep, Ahsoka and Lux enjoyed a soak in the hot tub. After the long day of traveling, it allowed them to relax.

 **Sunday, July 16th**

As expected, Francis came to pick up the family to the studio. They would finally meet Bob Saget in person. As they took their designated seats, the show began. Many hilarious videos were shown. One of them had a toddler being run over by the dog. Another guy was skiing and ended crashing into a pile of snow. A person tried to perform a trick on a diving board, but slipped and fell into the pool. People were cheering and laughing. Then came the big moment. The Bonteris would become famous.

Bob looked at his cue cards and only grinned. "Sometimes, there's things that defy explanation. Whether it was an alien or the weirdest way to show off, we'll never know. Ladies and gentlemen, I present you… the Scuba-Diving Chef."

The entire audience exploded in laughter as they saw Lux checking on the BBQ chicken in his scuba-diving suit. Even Lux himself was extremely amused at himself. " _Ha ha ha ! This is even better than I thought it would be ! Comedy gold at its finest !_ "

When it came to select 3 finalists, aside Lux's video, the dog running over the toddler and the skier crashing into the mound of snow were selected. The audience began to vote. Several minutes later, the results were tallied. Bob delivered the results in his typical style. "Ok… The runner-up for this week's funniest home video goes to… Kid bowled over by dog !"

The people applauded the result. Now everyone was anticipating the big winner.

"And the 10 000.00$ prize goes to… the Scuba-Diving Chef by the Bonteri Family !"

Ahsoka hugged him out of habit. "Yes ! Yes ! We made it, Lux !"

Bob moved over to the Bonteris. "Congratulations ! So, what gave you the idea for that ?"

Lux tried to hold his laughter. "I'm really not sure. I was just in a silly mood… and I wanted to amuse our guests. I guess it definitely made an impression !"

"Thank you all for coming ! Maybe we'll see you doing something even wackier in the future." Bob shook hands with everyone before the credits rolled and the cameras shut down.

Lux looked at the check they were given. "Well… we could use this for later. Maybe if we ever do some renovations at home."

Ahsoka kissed him on the cheek, causing himself to redden in embarrassment. "I'm so proud of you, Lux ! You've made people laugh all over the world by now. We could definitely use more laughter like this."

Over the next morning, they took their flight back home. They would certainly hear of Lux's wackiness when they got back.

 **Saturday, October 28th**

Mina's 10th birthday had come and gone. She didn't receive any major gifts, she didn't mind. Tonight, Ahsoka would fulfill her promise over 2 years ago and Mina would finally experience a rock concert. It was happening at Madison Square Garden, like when Ahsoka went with Lux and Kayla, back in '84. It was known that King Diamond would open for Ozzy Osbourne. Two performers known for their unique live performances.

As they waited for the show to begin, Mina was getting more and more nervous. It was a new experience for her, despite having heard the studio albums, she knew that the live performances would be even better.

People cheered loudly as several people in robes came onto the stage, carrying a wooden coffin with "Abigail" written on its side. King Diamond made his appearance, carrying a large doll. Ahsoka knew exactly what was going to happen.

"Ok, so they're starting off with a track called Funeral from the Abigail album, which leads to a song named Arrival. Get ready, Mina ! Things are about to get LOUD !"

"We are gathered here tonight  
To lay to rest Abigail La Fey  
Whom we now know  
Was first born dead on the 7th day of July, 1777"

"Abigail must be nailed  
To her coffin with 7 silver spikes  
One through  
Each arm, hand and knee"

"And let the last of the 7  
Be drawn through her mouth  
So that she may  
Never rise and cause evil again"

"Who will be the first?"  
"I, O'Brian of the Black Horsemen."

Suddenly, lights began to flash and the guitarists began to play. King Diamond was moving about, holding his microphone shaped like a tibia. With this top hat, the makeup on his face and his suit, he definitely looked unique. Mina would soon hear his falsetto range.

That must be it

Through the summer rain of 1845  
The coach had finally arrived  
To the valley where the crossroads meet below  
And where all darkness seems to grow  
People blame it on the hill  
The hill where no one dares to go  
(The mansion)  
Where no one dares to go

The coach had stopped  
And from the window you could see  
Seven horsemen in the night  
Miriam Natias and Jonathan Lafey  
Saw the magic in their eyes  
They were in for a surprise

The darkness would soon be complete  
A horseman came forth from the dark

"We know you've come to inherit what's yours  
(The mansion)  
Take our advise and go back on this night  
If you refuse eighteen will become nine"

Eighteen is nine  
(Oh no)  
Eighteen is nine

Jonathan laughed and said, "Get out of my way"  
"I don't believe a word you say"  
The seven horsemen disappeared into the night  
"Someday you'll need our help my friend"  
I think poor Jonathan was scared  
(Eighteen is actually nine)  
It stuck in his mind

The people cheered him as his finished his first song. Mina was left with her jaw down to the floor. It definitely sounded different from the studio album. And yet, King was able to hit all the high notes, showcasing his extensive vocal range.

"Wow ! That was amazing, Mom ! I have a feeling I'll really enjoy myself tonight !"

Ahsoka tilted her head towards her daughter. "I told you, didn't I ? Here's the fun part : There's no telling what he'll perform next."

King Diamond decided to address the audience. "Good evening, New York ! How are we all doing tonight ? Are we doing all right ? Come on, let's hear some noise !" This prompted the crowd to shout and cheer. "You have to watch your back at night… there's no telling what's… Lurking in the Dark !"

When nightfall comes around and the light of day is gone  
The dark closes in as the last candle burns out  
It's time to send off your mind on a trip  
Into the land of dreams and mist

Is something wrong?  
They are lurking in the dark

Heavy breathing but nobody's there  
If that's what you think, you'd better beware

Is something wrong?  
They are lurking in the dark, watching you

How does it feel to be alone in the dark?  
How do you know they won't do any harm?  
They can see you but you're oh so blind  
Maybe it only appears in our mind

Is something wrong?  
They are lurking in the dark

Mina struggled to recover from the loudness. The second guitar solo was the loudest she ever heard. Even Ahsoka caressed her montrals to soothe the pain.

"Grandma has been gone for far too long. It's time to accept the old bitch back ! So… Grandma… Welcome Home !" Someone disguised as an old woman is brought onto the stage in a wheelchair. Eventually, "Grandma" gets up and starts dancing around.

Grandma, welcome home  
You have been gone far, far too long  
Is this a dream, are you really back?

Let me help you out of the chair  
Grandma  
Let me touch you, let me feel

Grandma, take a look  
What do you think of the house and the silvery moon?  
We are going to repaint the front door soon

Let me help you out of the chair  
Grandma  
Let me touch you, let me feel

Wait till you see your room up in the attic  
Prepared just like you said, without a bed  
You will find your rocking chair and the tea pot that Missy found

Let me help you out of the chair  
Grandma  
There is someone waiting for you, now come along

Missy and Mother, they are dying to meet you  
How strange, she's spoken no word  
I wonder grandma, are you all right?

Grandma, what was it like to be on that holiday site  
Oh, it could have been worse but with them by my side  
In the twilight they sang all the old lullabies  
Grandma, who are they?  
Never mind you, dirty little brat

Let us go inside  
Something's on their mind  
They are still alive  
Can you feel their eyes?

Can you feel their eyes?  
Now that you are stuck with me  
You better be my friend

"Mom ! Ok… I'll be honest… some of the lyrics are creepy… but the music is flat out awesome ! I can't wait to see what he'll do next !"

Ahsoka wrapped an arm around Mina. "That's King Diamond for you. He specializes in horror-themed songs. If they do The Invisible Guests, I can die happy."

Mina quickly turned to her. "Mom ! What are you saying ?! You can't die yet ! We need you ! Dad needs you !"

"Figure of speech, Mina. Nothing more, ok ?"

"Sometimes, insomnia can really be a drag. So I am cursed with... Sleepless Nights."

I cannot sleep at night  
That's what the day is for anyway

And as the clock strikes midnight  
I hear them dancing at the graves  
Singing to my mind, killing the pain  
Sleepless nights, sleepless nights

I cannot sleep at night  
That's what the day is for anyway

And as the clock strikes midnight  
Only they can let us meet  
Even though she's dead now, I gotta see her again  
Sleepless nights, sleepless nights

I cannot sleep at night  
I will do anything to see Missy again

Then let us make you an eternal deal  
You will attend to the graves  
You'll give us the house back and keep in mind  
That we only come here at night

So we made the deal  
Under the starry night and  
Amon belongs to them now  
I feel the dawn coming My way

And as the sun breaks up the dark  
I can't hear them dance no more  
There's no voices, killing the pain  
Pain, pain

King soon reached for a plastic spider. "Those creepy spiders ! They're everywhere ! Can you not hear it ? The Spider's Lullabye !" He waved it from side to side as the music began.

In a little cottage, in the country side  
Lives a man called Harry, and he is losing his mind

Listen... hear the spider's lullabye

It's really sad for Harry, he finds a spider scary  
Even the smallest species, will make him feel uneasy  
Oh, they live in every corner  
Oh, and here comes the summer

There's another spider on his wall... gotta kill it!  
Soon to be another creamy spot

As he woke up this morning, there was a spider crawling  
He felt the big suprise, before it caught his eyes  
Oh, in between his face  
Oh, and his pillow case

There's another spider on his wall... gotta kill it!  
Soon to be another creamy spot

Here comes another one... ha...ha...ha...ha...ha

He's got to find a doctor, a very special doctor  
Someone who can cure his mind  
Someone who knows Harry's kind

Listen... hear the spider's lullabye

Those creepy crawly creatures  
With all their hairy features  
Hoping to catch a fly  
Singing itss deadly lullabye

Oh... oh, no...

There's another spider on his wall... gotta kill it!

Mina huddled herself temporarily. "The creepy factor went towards the sky on this song, Mom ! That laugh was… woah ! Didn't see that coming at all !"

"It's the first time I hear this song. If the entire album is as good as this track, I'll definitely have to buy it."

"Grandma was always the odd one. I thought that she was speaking to herself, but voices were heard. Yet I can't see them… Who are they ? What are they ? The Invisible Guests !"

Ahsoka's face immediately brightened. "Yes ! Yes ! They're doing it ! You'll see, Mina ! This song has the best solos of all !"

Late that night I awoke from My sleep  
Hearing unknown voices laughing  
insane  
Grandma' was one, Oh it's coming  
from the room next to mine  
It's Grandma' room... the invisible  
guests  
As I stood there alone in the dark  
Peeking through the keyhole, couldn't  
believe My eyes  
I'd never seen anything like it, only  
Grandma' was inside the room  
Speaking to no one... the invisible  
guests  
Cups were rising in thin air and then  
emptied on the floor  
Suddenly the door was open and  
Grandma' said  
"Do come in My little friend"  
Missy and Mother were sleeping  
downstairs  
If they could see me in Grandmother's  
chair

Grandmother said "look Me deep in  
the eyes  
You will forget what You saw here  
tonight"  
"I will let You in on the secret of this  
house  
The secret of Amon... that's what we  
call this house  
Now I want you to go back to sleep,  
now go back to sleep My dear"  
The invisible guests

Cups were rising in thin air and then  
emptied on the floor  
Suddenly the door was open and  
Grandma' said  
"Now you must go back to sleep"  
"Go to sleep"... "Go to sleep"...  
"Go to sleep"...  
Missy and Mother were sleeping  
downstairs  
If they could see me in Grandmother's  
chair

Mina blinked several times. "Yep. The bar is set way too high. Can they surpass this ?"

Ahsoka huddled herself. "The studio version is one thing. Now having heard it live… I'm feeling massive chills all over. Never mind that my montrals hurt from the loudness."

"Jonathan should heed his ancestor's warning… lest evil rise again. The Family Ghost."

The darkness came closer to home, on the following night  
And Miriam slept like a rock, when Jonathan's face went white  
The bedroom was ice cold, but the fire was burning still  
The blinding light, the family ghost, had risen again, the Ghost

Don't be scared, don't be scared now, my friend  
I am Count De Lafey  
Let me take you to the crypt down below, where Abigail rests  
Let Miriam sleep, she never would understand  
Now come let us go, it's time to know

Beware of the slippery stairs, you could easily fall and break your neck  
Hand me that torch, and I will lead the way to the secret in the dark  
Secret in the dark  
Take a look into the vault, the vault, the sarcophagus of a child  
Abigail has been in here for years and years, stillborn  
Born, born, born

The spirit of Abigail is inside your wife  
And there's only one way you can stop, the rebirth of evil itself  
You must take her life, now, now, now, now, now, now

Mina just shook her head. "I'll need to listen to the Abigail album to really understand the story here. It's so freaky ! Hopefully, when Ozzy comes up, his songs won't be so depressing."

"After a while, we get used to it, Mina. But yeah, Ozzy will provide a really nice contrast to King Diamond."

"The Invisible Guests have succeeded in driving out the people. Madness lurks in the House of Amon. Can you not hear them… singing… the Twilight Symphony ?"

Morning came and so did they  
Flying questions from the police  
I'm waiting here in ambulance  
For Dr. Landau

To return and tell me  
Why they're taking me so far away  
I did what I did and I'm glad I did  
'Cos I could have been the  
I could have been the next in line

Nobody found a trace of Missy  
I'd be the last to tell them anyway  
How could I ever, ever explain?  
Now I hear them again, singin'

Twilight  
(Symphony)  
Twilight  
(Aaa)  
I hear them again, singin'  
Twilight  
(Symphony)  
Twilight  
(Aaa)

Grandma' was dead with an open neck  
Blood still runnin' from her open mouth  
I knew they would blame it  
They would blame it, all on me  
How could I ever, ever explain?

Now I hear them again, singin'  
Twilight  
(Symphony)  
Twilight  
(Aaa)  
I hear them again, singin'  
Twilight  
(Symphony)  
Twilight  
(Aaa)

Dr. Landau returned  
And I told him the story  
Are you mad or just insane?  
I tried anyway  
You can take him away now  
The boy has lost his mind  
Oh, no, no

I haven't seen my mother  
Since they took me away  
And Dr. Landau wouldn't tell me  
He wouldn't tell me anything  
Oh, no, no  
Ohh, I'm back on the outside

Time has caught up with me  
And I must leave for the old house  
Yes I must leave now  
Grandma I'm coming  
I'm coming home now  
Oh, I'm coming home now

"This gets creepier and creepier." Mina muttered in her breath.

"I think there are a couple more songs to go. You're still enjoying yourself, right ?"

"Of course, Mom ! But at the same time, it creeps me out, big time."

King reached for some water. "Before we move on to our last songs, why don't I introduce my band members ? On drums, from Gothenburg, Sweden, we have Mikkey Dee !"

Ahsoka scratched her head. "Why does that name sound familiar ?"

Mina turned to her. "You tell me, Mom. You're the expert here."

Ahsoka face-palmed. "Of course ! He is also the drummer for Motörhead !"

King introduced the guitarists next. "On bass guitar, from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, we have Hal Patino ! On guitar, from Jonkoping, Sweden, we have Pete Blakk ! Last, but certainly not least… on guitar, from Gothenburg, Sweden, we have the ONE, the ONLY… Mr. Andy LaRocque !" On cue, LaRocque began playing immediately. Ahsoka recognized the song. Halloween.

Oh it's Halloween

Every night to me is Halloween  
Like an ancient scene  
See you know just what I mean

Halloween, you are my pride  
Halloween, not just a dream

The moon is full, another perfect day has begun  
Like a demon's eye, that devil's eye  
Will we ever die

Halloween, you are my pride  
Halloween, not just a dream

Every night will be another evil scene  
Like in horror dreams I want  
I command you to scream

Halloween, you are my pride  
Halloween, not just a dream

Halloween, Halloween  
Halloween, Halloween

"They'll likely finish their part with something major, right ?" Mina asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, wouldn't be at all surprised if they play The Black Horsemen to wrap things up."

"A special song, Mom ?"

"Well… you know how significant Stairway to Heaven is for Led Zeppelin ? It's a similar kind of song. You'll see… if they play it." Ahsoka explained.

King didn't even need to introduce his last piece. People guessed simply by the chords at the beginning. It was indeed The Black Horsemen, as Ahsoka predicted.

So there they stood at the top of the stairs  
Miriam in the mood, Jonathan was scared  
Gazing into the dark, Jonathan saw the star  
For a second he turned his back  
And she was there like a ghost  
She him hard and clean  
To the bottom of the stairs

"Now we're finally alone, Miriam  
Abigail is here to stay"

The birth of Abigail would soon be realized  
The second coming of a devil in disguise  
And the moon did not shine  
It was darker than ever before

On this sacred night  
The soul of Miriam was crying out in pain  
Remembering the day, arrival in the rain

The pain of labor was so strong that Miriam died  
The final seeing was a pair of yellow eyes  
You can still hear her screaming  
If You're walking the stairs in July

Riding from beyond  
The 7 Horsemen would arrive before the dawn  
Servants of the count, when Abigail was born the first time

Oh no, they found her in the sarcophagus  
Baby Abigail was eating, Oh I cannot tell You

"Take her, and bring her  
To the chapel in the forest  
So go now...The ceremony  
And the coffin's waiting"

The Black Horsemen

That's the end of another lullaby  
Time has come for me to say goodnight

The crowd cheered for King as he wrapped up his act. "Thank you so much, all of you ! Good night, every one !" He and his band quietly left the stage. For several minutes there was nothing. Just silence. People murmured.

"I'm going for a quick bathroom break. I'll be right back." Mina went towards the portable toilets.

Several minutes passed. Mina finally returned, with a disgusted look on her face.

Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "What's wrong ?"

Mina fought to not throw up where she was. "Those toilets don't flush, right ? The one I chose… someone had done a pretty ugly mess. It smelled horrible. Just…. Ew ! Ew ! Ew !"

"That's why I avoid portable toilets. There's no telling _what_ you'll find inside."

Ozzy stepped onto the stage, earning much cheering. "Good evening, New York ! Are you ready to rock ? Let me see your hands ! Let me see 'em !"

Everyone raised their hands, shouting and cheering.

"Louder ! LOUDER ! COME ON, PEOPLE ! I CAN'T HEAR YOU !"

The crowd basically screamed their lungs out.

"Ok, let's get ourselves warmed up a bit, right ? We're gonna start off with… Miracle Man !"

I'm looking for a miracle man  
That tells me no lies  
I'm looking for a miracle man  
Who's not in disguise

I don't know where he'll come from  
And I don't know where he's been  
But it isn't Jimmy Sinner  
Because he's so obscene

Miracle man got busted  
Miracle man got busted

Today I saw a miracle man  
On TV cryin'  
Such a hypocritical man  
Born again, dying

He don't know where he's going  
But we know just where he's been  
It was our little Jimmy Sinner  
That I saw on the screen

Miracle man got busted  
Miracle man got busted  
Miracle man got busted  
Miracle man

Miracle man

A devil with a crucifix  
Brimstone and fire  
He needs another carnal fix  
To take him higher and higher

Now Jimmy, he got busted  
With his pants down  
Repent ye wretched sinner  
Self righteous clown

Miracle man got busted  
Miracle man got busted  
Miracle man got busted  
...

"Well, that was different, Mom. But good ! It was pretty catchy !"

Ahsoka was applauding with the crowd. "Anything from Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman are sure to win you over, Mina ! I don't think Ozzy can do a show without Crazy Train or Mr. Crowley. Those two in particular are amazing !"

"I love you all ! I want to see people going crazy ! Come on, make some noise !" Ozzy just ran from one end of the stage to another, trying to get the crowd to cheer louder and louder. "Ok, let's do a fan favorite ! All aboard… the Crazy Train ! Yeah ! Yeah ! Wooooo !"

All aboard! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay

Crazy, but that's how it goes  
Millions of people living as foes  
Maybe it's not too late  
To learn how to love  
And forget how to hate

Mental wounds not healing  
Life's a bitter shame  
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train  
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train

Let's go!  
I've listened to preachers  
I've listened to fools  
I've watched all the dropouts  
Who make their own rules  
One person conditioned to rule and control  
The media sells it and you live the role

Mental wounds still screaming  
Driving me insane  
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train  
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train

I know that things are going wrong for me  
You gotta listen to my words  
Yeah

Heirs of a cold war  
That's what we've become  
Inheriting troubles I'm mentally numb  
Crazy, I just cannot bear  
I'm living with something' that just isn't fair

Mental wounds not healing  
Who and what's to blame  
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train  
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train

Ahsoka had a huge smile on her face. "I can see that Zakk Wylde is as good a guitar player as Randy Rhoads or Jake E. Lee. That solo was perfect !"

Mina began to caress her montrals. "Don't get me wrong, Mom. It was great, but it really does a number on our montrals."

"Is everybody enjoying themselves tonight ? Let's rock the fuck out with… Over the Mountain ! Yaaaaaaahhhhh !"

Over the mountain take me across the sky  
Something in my vision, something deep inside  
Where did I wander, where d'ya think I wandered to  
I've seen life's magic astral plane I travel through.  
I heard them tell me that this land of dreams was now  
I told them I had ridden shooting stars  
And said I'd show them how.

Over and over always tried to get away  
Living in a daydream only place I had to stay  
Fever of a breakout burning in me miles wide  
People around me talking to the walls inside  
I heard them tell me that this land of dreams was now  
I told them I had ridden shooting stars  
and said I'd show them how.

Don't need no astrology it's inside of you and me  
You don't need a ticket to fly with me - I'm free.

Over and under in between the ups and downs  
My mind's carpet magic ride goes round and round.  
Over the mountain kissing silver inlaid clouds  
Watching my body disappear into the crowd.  
Don't need no astrology it's inside of you and me  
You don't need a ticket to fly with me - I'm free

"Hah ! I always love doing that song ! Really pumps you all up, huh ? Let's try something a bit different. D'ya want to ? Come on, let me hear you ! All right… This song is really special. Dedicated to my wife, Sharon. You know this one, folks. Mama… I'm coming Home !"

Times have changed and times are strange  
Here I come but I ain't the same  
Mama I'm comin' home

Times gone by, seems to be  
You could have been a better friend to me  
Mama I'm comin' home

You took me in and you drove me out  
Yeah you had me hypnotized yeah  
Lost and found and turned around  
By the fire in your eyes

You made me cry, you told me lies  
But I can't stand to say goodbye  
Mama I'm comin' home

I could be right, I could be wrong  
It hurts so bad it's been so long  
Mama, I'm comin' home

Selfish love yeah we're both alone  
The ride before the fall yeah  
But I'm gonna take this heart of stone  
I just got to have it all

I've seen your face a hundred times  
Everyday we've been apart  
I don't care about the sunshine yeah  
'Cause mama, mama I'm comin' home  
I'm comin' home

You took me in and you drove me out  
Yeah you had me hypnotized yeah  
Lost and found and turned around  
By the fire in your eyes

I've seen your face a thousand times  
Everyday we've been apart  
And I don't care about the sunshine yeah  
'Cause mama, mama I'm comin' home  
I'm comin' home, I'm comin' home  
I'm comin' home

A tear fell from Mina's eye. "Mom. That was beautiful… despite the odd lyrics. Even though the show ain't finished yet… I should be thankful for you bringing me here. So, Mom. Thanks."

Ahsoka pulled her into a hug. "It's ok, you can cry out of happiness if you want to. Let it out. Let it all out."

"It's a lovely full moon tonight. That should give away what we're doing next ! Bark… at the Moon !"

Screams break the silence  
Waking from the dead of night  
Vengeance is boiling  
He's returned to kill the light  
Then when he's found who he's looking for  
Listen in awe and you'll hear him

Bark at the moon  
Ha ha ha  
(Ha ha ha)  
(Ha ha ha)

Years spent in torment  
Buried in a nameless grave  
Now he has risen  
Miracles would have to save  
Those that the beast is looking for  
Listen in awe and you'll hear him

Bark at the moon  
Hey, yea  
Bark at the moon

They cursed and buried him  
Along with shame  
And thought his timeless soul had gone  
(Gone)  
In empty burning Hell, unholy one  
But he's returned to prove them wrong  
So wrong  
Oh yea, baby

Howling in shadows  
Living in a lunar spell  
He finds his heaven  
Spewing from the mouth of Hell  
Those that the beast is looking for  
Listen in awe and you'll hear him

Bark at the moon  
Hey, yea  
Bark at the moon  
Hey, yea  
Bark at the moon  
Whoa whoa yea  
Bark at the moon

Everyone howled with Ozzy as he ended the song. He reached for some water. "All right, folks ! We'll take a 10 minute break and we'll move onto the other half."

Mina took several sips of her water. She felt her montrals and were hurting bad. "How long does it take for our hearing to get back to normal for something like this ?"

"A couple of days, give or take. I can't wait to see what he'll perform next." Ahsoka checked her watch, it was 9:45 pm. The show would likely be over by 11.

Several minutes later Ozzy came back. "All right, folks ! It's time for another fan favorite ! We honor the crazed scientist, Aleister Crowley !"

Mr. Crowley, what what they done in your head  
Oh Mr. Crowley, did you talk with the dead  
Your lifestyle to me seemed so tragic  
With the thrill of it all  
You fooled all the people with magic  
Yeah you waited on Satan's call

Mr. Charming, did you think you were pure  
Mr. Alarming, in nocturnal rapport  
Uncovering things that were sacred manifest on this earth  
Ah conceived in the eye of a secret  
And they scattered the afterbirth

Mr. Crowley, won't you ride my white horse  
Mr. Crowley, it's symbolic of course  
Approaching a time that is classic  
I hear maidens call  
Approaching a time that is drastic  
Standing with their backs to the wall

Was it polemically sent  
I want to know what you meant  
I want to know  
I want to know what you meant, yeah

"All right, why don't we look into the Black Sabbath catalog for a couple of tracks ? What do you say, folks ?" Ozzy placed a hand near his ear, listening to the crowd. "Yeah ? OK ! So, let's go with the track that came from our very first album, Black Sabbath !"

What is this that stands before me?  
Figure in black which points at me  
Turn around quick, and start to run  
Find out I'm the chosen one  
Oh nooo!

Big black shape with eyes of fire  
Telling people their desire  
Satan's sitting there, he's smiling  
Watches those flames get higher and higher  
Oh no, no, please God help me!

Is it the end, my friend?  
Satan's coming 'round the bend  
People running 'cause they're scared  
The people better go and beware!  
No, no, please, no!

Ahsoka huddled herself. "You know, it's the first time I hear this one. Wow. Wylde really seems to be able to do Iommi's thick chords without major issues. I'm impressed."

"And to think this song is 25 years old ! Doesn't seem to have aged at all. I'm betting it always sounded this good ! And that thick guitar chord is addictive.

People cheered him on as he got ready for another big hit. "All, right ! The next one, you all know it, folks ! Come on, clap your hands ! Come on ! Come on ! Come on ! Yeah ! That's the stuff ! Ok, here we go ! We're gonna do… Paranoid !" The went crazy after the announcement.

Finished with my woman 'cause she couldn't help me with my mind  
People think I'm insane because I am frowning all the time

All day long I think of things but nothing seems to satisfy  
Think I'll lose my mind if I don't find something to pacify

Can you help me?  
are you for my brain, ( its occupy my brain )  
Oh yeah

I need someone to show me the things in life that I can't find  
I can't see the things that make true happiness I must be blind

Make a joke and I will sigh and you will laugh and I will cry  
Happiness I cannot feel so love to me is so unreal

And so as you hear these words telling you now of my state  
I tell you to enjoy life I wish I could but it's too late

"That song never gets old. Now, what is he going to throw at us next ?" Ahsoka wondered.

"Ok… back with my solo stuff… Another song that I consider to be a highlight of my overall career. No more Tears. Let's do this."

The lights in the window is a crack in the sky  
A stairway to darkness in the blink of an eye

And levee of tears to learn she'll never be coming back  
The man in the dark will bring another attack

Your momma told you that  
You're not supposed to talk to strangers  
Look in the mirror, tell me  
Do you think your life's in danger here?

No more tears  
No more tears  
No more tears  
No more tears

Another day passes as the night closes in  
The red light goes on to say, "It's time to begin"

I see the man around the corner, waiting  
Can he see me?  
I close my eyes and wait to hear  
The sound of someone screaming here

No more tears  
No more tears  
No more tears  
No more tears

It's just a sign of the times  
Going forward in reverse  
Still he who laughs the last  
Is just a hand in the bush

So now that it's over, can't we just say goodbye?  
I'd like to move on and make the most of the night  
Maybe a kiss before I leave you this way  
Your lips are so cold, I don't know what else to say

I never wanted it to end this way  
My love, my darling  
Believe me when I say to you in love  
I think I'm falling here

No more tears  
No more tears  
No more tears  
No more tears

Is just a hand in the bush  
In the, in the bush  
In the, in the bush  
In the, in the bush  
...

The final piece had everyone by surprise as a very familiar woman appeared on the stage, wielding an awesome looking guitar.

Ahsoka blinked in disbelief. "Huh ? Lita Ford ? Really ?! They're going to perform the duet Close your Eyes Forever ? Can't say I saw that coming ?"

"We had seen the music video on MTV before, right ?" The name did ring a bell in Mina's mind.

"That's right. But seeing it live ? Mina, I'm so happy that you're with me, so we'll have this memory together." Both girls waited patiently for the song to start.

"All right, folks. I've invited my good friend Lita for a surprise ending of the show. Some of you may remember the song Close your Eyes Forever ? It's a beautiful rock ballad. So Lita, are you ready ?"

Baby, I get so scared inside  
And I don't really understand  
Is it love that's on my mind  
Or is it fantasy?

Heaven, is in the palm of my hand  
And it's waiting here for you  
What am I supposed to do  
With a childhood tragedy?

If I close my eyes forever  
Would it all remain unchanged?  
If I close my eyes forever  
Would it all remain the same?

Sometimes, it's hard to hold on  
So hard to hold on to my dreams  
It isn't always what it seems  
When you're face to face with me

Like a dagger you stick me in the heart  
And taste the blood from my veins  
And when we sleep would you shelter me  
In your warm and darkened grave?

If I close my eyes forever  
Would it all remain unchanged?  
If I close my eyes forever  
Would it all remain the same?

Will you ever take me?  
No I just can't take the pain  
Would you ever trust me?  
No I'll never feel the same  
(Oh)

I know I've been so hard on you  
I know I've told you lies  
If I could have just one more wish  
I'd wipe the cobwebs from my eyes

If I close my eyes forever  
Would it all remain unchanged?  
If I close my eyes forever  
Would it all remain the same?  
(Oh yeah)

Close your eyes, close your eyes  
You gotta close your eyes for me

As the song ended, both performers got a standing ovation from the crowd.

"Woo ! Thank you, every one of you ! I love you all ! Thank you… and good night !" The performers left the stage, prompting the audience to head out back to their homes.

Mina was left in complete awe. "Mom. I… I don't know what to say. This has been a fun-filled evening. I think I know how I can repay you. I'll keep practicing with my lightsabers even harder."

"You're doing enough already ! It was my pleasure to bring you with me, Mina. You earned it. Now… how about we head out home ? It's exactly 11 pm right now. I think that Lux and Daniel would likely be asleep by now. You can tell them about your experience in the morning." She suggested.

As they arrived back home, they were greeted by Obi. Mina tiptoed to her room and fell asleep fairly quickly. The concert did drain a lot of energy. Plus, she needed a break in order to allow her montrals to recover from the loudness. Ahsoka slipped in bed, carefully avoiding to rouse Lux from his sleep. Both would have very pleasant dreams this night. It was a night Mina was going to remember for a very long time.

 **And another of these "special" chapters gets completed. They are extremely difficult to write. I doubt I'll be doing more of these. So now, Ahsoka and Mina have a mutual respect for each other. Their bond will only strengthen with time. Over the next chapter, the family will be enjoying themselves as they go to the movies and see Lethal Weapon 4. So many hilarious moments in that movie. On Ahsoka's side, she'll visit a Reptile Expo. Meaning, she'll be able to see a huge variety of exotic pets. Will she be able to keep herself from spending too much ? The answer lies in the coming chapter. This story has several more chapters before I manage to accomplish everything that I wanted to do with it. Afterwards, a new story is already being planned out. An AU that Ahsoka never left the Order and sticks around for Episode III. Feel free to review.**


	23. An Expo like no other and New Lovebirds

**Friday, July 10th, 1998**

Things kept on going steadily for the Bonteris. Ahsoka and Lux were both successful with their work. The kids were advancing well through their studies. Mina was turning 13 this fall and was entering Grade 9, the last before entering High School. Daniel would be turning 11 in less than 2 weeks. It would soon become an interesting time for the parents as their children became teenagers.

This particular Friday was yet another movie night for the family. They were going to see Lethal Weapon 4. The addition of Chris Rock as Lee Butters into the main cast would guarantee added comic relief… despite that Joe Pesci's character, Leo Getz, was already providing more than enough laughs. As everyone took their seats, they waited for the movie to begin. They wouldn't be disappointed.

The encounter with the flamethrower-wielding maniac provided both comic relief and a little bit of tension. Comic relief in that Murtaugh distracted him by running around in his trousers. Tension in that both Riggs and Murtaugh have a new member coming up in their respective families. Murtaugh's oldest daughter Rianne is said to be pregnant, the mystery father is yet to be revealed at this point. For Riggs, he learns that Lorna (whom first appeared in part 3) is pregnant with his child. Throughout the movie, both men remind themselves to stay alive for the sake of the next generation.

Eventually, Riggs, Murtaugh, Butters and Getz plotted a scheme in order to get answers from Chinese Crime boss "Uncle" Benny Chan. Getz faked a toothache, getting the Chinese dentist and his assistant to tend to him. This allowed for Riggs, Murtaugh and Butters to have a brief moment with Uncle Benny. At first, he was uncooperative, but after Riggs and Butters gave him a bit of Nitrous Oxide, it caused Uncle Benny to reveal many things in odd riddles. The Four Fathers, important Triad leaders, and not Forefathers as alluded by the cops, were being purchased/released by the Chinese Triad. This in turn could bring a new crime wave to Los Angeles. Soon, all 4 were high as a kite. In his trip, Riggs accidentally revealed that Butters was married to Rianne and that the upcoming child was his.

When it came to face Wah Sing Ku, the high-ranking Triad negotiator, things got bloody. After the Four Fathers were killed, Riggs and Murtaugh took on Ku, nearly getting themselves killed on many counts. In the end, Riggs had gotten hold of an AK-47, killing Ku while they were fighting underwater. Riggs then became trapped when a piece of concrete fell on him. If it weren't for Murtaugh's daring attempt to rescue him, Riggs would have drowned. Eventually, Riggs and Murtaugh were recovering from their wounds, with the new mothers and babies, all very healthy.

As the crowds began to exit the theater, the Bonteris had their own opinion about the film. Ahsoka was pleased for the most part, but thought the fight with Ku was a bit over-the-top. Lux decided that he would use Uncle Benny's catchphrase : "Bloody Marvelous !". Mina and Daniel enjoyed the humor throughout the film, such as Riggs and Murtaugh's inability to remember Butter's name, calling him "Putter" or "Biscuit" instead. Aside the laughing gas scene, there was also Getz's rants about cellphones, which amused Ahsoka a great deal. "They fuck you, they fuck you, they fuck you with the cellphones ! They know that if you missed that call, you're gonna call back… and they'll charge you extra for the first minute."

"I really thought he couldn't top the Drive-Thru rant, but he almost made me choke on my popcorn. And the "Telephone Tough Guy" line was brilliant ! I may have to prank someone, one of these days." She couldn't help but laugh every now and then.

 **Saturday, August 22nd**

Around 7:30 am, Ahsoka was out the door and driving towards Kayla's apartment. A couple of weeks back, Kayla told her about a Reptile Expo taking place in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. There would be an uncountable number of exotic animals offered from various dealers/breeders, some local and others from other States. About 15 minutes later, she was at her door and knocked. "Come on in, it's unlocked."

As she entered, Kayla stepped out of the bathroom, using her curling iron. "Give me a few minutes, darling. We'll be at Hamburg before you know it !"

Ahsoka took a quick glance at Hershey, whom was easily 8' long. "So, you want… a "neighbor" for him ?"

"Yeah, but I can't choose between a Honduran Milk Snake or a California King Snake. I guess when I see them with my own eyes, maybe my choice will be easier to make." Kayla turned to her friend. "What about you ? Are you planning to buy anything ?"

Ahsoka caressed her right lek nervously. "Nothing comes to mind, as of right now. Perhaps I'll see something to my liking when we'll get there. Are you ready to head out ?"

Within minutes, they stopped at a small gas station to load up on fuel and snacks/drinks. They could reach their destination far quicker if they could eat "on the go". About 3 hours later, they entered the city limits of Hamburg. Thanks to Kayla's map, they managed to find the building where the Expo took place without too much trouble.

As they entered, both were stunned by what they saw. It was literally packed with people. The only sound was the loud, incessant chatter of fellow hobbyists and dealers/breeders. The majority of animals were reptiles. There were loads of Leopard Geckos, in various color morphs. Then, there were Bearded Dragons aplenty. By the time they found a dealer with snakes, there was a plethora of species available. From enormous Green Anacondas to the tiniest Garter Snakes were available. For those that enjoyed keeping venomous snakes, they could choose from Rattlesnakes, Cobras of all sorts or Vipers from all over the world.

And finally, Kayla found her dealer. He was a tall man, blonde hair, a full beard. Some tattoos were visible on his shoulders.

"Good morning, lovely ladies ! What brings you to the Hamburg Reptile Expo ?"

"Hello ! I'm looking for either a Honduran Milk Snake or a California King Snake. Of the two, which do you think would offer me the most "bang for my buck" ?" Kayla looked at the various animals on display.

The dealer thought for a moment. "Well… both are pretty similar in temperament. Fairly docile for the most part. If you're into size, the California King Snake is a no-brainer. Plus, they often subdue and eat rattlesnakes from their native habitat, how cool is that ?"

Kayla didn't waste any more time. "Sold ! I'd like a male, please."

The dealer went through his animals. He picked out a small one, mostly black with white stripes. "Here is a nice little fella. He's already capable of handling large mice. Eventually, you can move on to rats. Yours for 50.00$."

Kayla paid the dealer in haste while he placed it in a small plastic container with a bedding of pine shavings.

They decided to explore and see what else the Expo had to offer. Suddenly, a commotion caught Ahsoka's attention.

"Man, that thing ain't stopping ! It grabbed like what ? 12 crickets ?! What a gluttonous beast !"

She made her way to the commotion. What she saw nearly knocked her socks off. There was a large-sized tarantula, mostly black with white stripes around its legs. It looked amazing.

She shoved her way through the curious onlookers. "Woah ! That is a beautiful animal. What is it ?"

The dealer was all-too happy to answer. "It's an _Acanthoscurria geniculata_. Brand spanking new to the hobby ! They're native to the rainforests of Brazil. But they're _nowhere_ as sensitive to humidity as your typical _Theraphosa_ or _Xenesthis_ species. Or even _Megaphobema mesomelas_ for that matter."

Ahsoka just blinked a few times. "A _what_? Does it have an English name ?"

"Oh, it was labeled as "Brazilian Giant White Knee"."

"That's a mouthful ! What about that one over there, with the purple sheen on its legs ?" She pointed to another spider next to the White Knee.

The dealer quickly scanned the label. "Oh, that one ? It's a _Pamphobeteus ultramarinus_. A rare species from Ecuador."

She face-palmed. "English name, please ?"

He scratched his head for a moment. "Guh ! Common name ? Common name ? Ecuadorian… Purple Femur ? Something along those lines. Listen, Miss. In all seriousness, if you wish to get the most of out this hobby, you will need to take up a bit of Latin. It's not too hard, after a while, even the most complex names roll off the tongue. Here, if you buy any spider from me, this book if yours for free !" He offered her a book with a golden-colored spider on the cover.

Ahsoka took a closer look. "The Tarantula Keeper's Guide ? But I already have it back at home… it has a lovely spider on a woman's hand as the cover."

The dealer gave a silly grin. "Ah ha ! So you have the first edition. That's good ! This is the new, updated version ! It carries a lot more information than ever."

She looked at the selection of animals. One with bright orange legs caught her attention. "I really like the looks of that one. What is it and how much ?"

He peered over the label. "Oh ho ho ! You've got good taste, Miss. This is a _Brachypelma boehmei_. The common name is Mexican Fireleg. They're still pretty new to the hobby. Their downside is their skittishness and tendency to flick urticating hairs at the slightest disturbances. The upside ? _Nothing_ short of a mature female _B. smithi_ will beat these guys after a fresh molt. They literally glow ! And they're generally very good eaters. They're very entertaining to observe hunting. I believe this particular specimen is a suspect female. Right now, at 2.5", she's probably around 3-4 years old. You'll enjoy her company for another 20+ easily. Is that it, or do you want to look into a second one ?"

She looked at the remainder of the selection. There was one with white and greys, but had screaming yellow bands under its first two pairs of legs. "That one looks neat ! Is it dangerous ?"

He seemed to hesitate to answer. "It's a _Poecilotheria regalis._ Commonly known as Indian Ornamental. They're somewhat skittish. They're _fast_! No, really. They _teleport_. And yes, they do possess fairly strong venom. Why not try this _Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens_ instead ? They're called Green Bottle Blue tarantulas. They're native to a small desert region in Northeast Venezuela.

As adults, they are _STUNNING_! Green carapace, orange abdomen. The best part ? Electric blue legs ! In the best lighting, they'll grab the attention of anyone that takes a look. Plus, these are intense webbers. Give it some sticks to have some anchor points to start its webbing. Then watch it "go to town". You cannot be disappointed with this one. A much better choice than the Indian Ornamental. I'll make you a deal. I think this 2" _C. cyaneopubescens_ is also a suspect female. How about you take both of them… for 200.00$ ?"

At this point, Ahsoka knew it was too good to pass up. "Ok, you've convinced me." She searched in her purse for her wallet. She soon paid the dealer and both were heading back to the car, neither empty-handed. As they rode back home, Kayla read through the new book, trying her hand at Latin.

"Listen to this one… A-phon-o-pel-ma see-man-ni… They call it the Costa Rican Zebra tarantula. Hah ! This one you'll like… A-vi-cu-la-ria me-tal-li-ca… The Whitetoe tarantula."

Ahsoka concentrated herself on the road, careful not to cause an unneeded accident. "Hold on a sec ! A tarantula named after Metallica ? Nah, it's probably just a coincidence that it's named that way."

Several hours later, they finally arrived back home. Kayla was dropped off at her apartment. When Ahsoka arrived at her place, Lux and the kids were making themselves hamburgers on the barbecue. Just the smell was enough to get her mouth watering. As she placed the containers on the living room table, it hit her. She didn't have cages ready for these two new and unexpected additions. She would remedy to it tomorrow.

 **Monday, October 2nd, 2000**

The new school year was in full swing. Mina, now 15, had begun Grade 11. One more and she was done with the basic, mandatory education. Afterwards, she could apply to various colleges and universities for a secondary education. Given she was good with numbers and problem-solving skills, she would make a natural accountant.

And with this time came changes to her. From her Togrutan lineage, her montrals got taller and her lekku had gained some considerable length. And then came other physical changes that accompanied teenage girls. She began to attract the attention of boys… and most were only interested in her new "assets". She would keep a distance from most of them. There was one exception : Travis Blank. Since they had grown up together, she knew she could trust him not to try anything foolish.

But of course, some didn't seem to take the hint. Chief of them being a snobbish rich boy named Robert "Bob" McClane. He had already gained a reputation to be able to sleep with any girls… whether they wanted it or not ! He would soon learn that Mina Bonteri wasn't going to be "an easy catch" like the majority.

Mina was going through her books in her locker when she felt an unwanted presence. "Bob ?" She turned to him, holding a book across her chest. "I already told you that I'm not interested. Which part of "no" don't you seem to understand ? Will you please leave me alone ?"

Bob was looking at her with hungry eyes, making her feel very uncomfortable. "Robert McClane doesn't give up so easily, little Mina ! By the end of the school year, I'll have you in my bed… one of these nights."

Mina growled inwardly. "In your dreams !" She began to walk away from him.

"Sooner than you expect !" He quickly grabbed her from behind and tried to reach for her breasts.

Mina's hand came faster than he could see it coming. He was slapped. Hard. "Why you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking… nerfherder ! You try that again and I'll rip your arms off ! You're so lucky my mother wasn't here to notice this, she would tear you to shreds… literally ! Now, back off !"

Before Bob could make a move, he felt a hand grab his shoulder. He turned to see Travis, looking more than a little angry. "Give it up, McClane ! This is one girl that you're not going to have your way with !"

Bob pushed Travis' hand away. "If it isn't Travis Blank, the nerd from the library. You think you can protect a girl ? You can't even protect yourself !" Bob landed a punch on Travis' jaw.

Travis felt his hand across his jaw… he found blood to his horror. "Oh, now you've done it ! I may be an intellectual, but that doesn't mean I can't fight back. Mina is just like me and she could whip your sorry ass in seconds ! She's just holding back because she doesn't want to break you in pieces."

Bob laughed at the so-called nerd. "Go on. Give your best shot. Come on ! Hit me !"

Travis rushed towards Bob and managed to land a punch square on his jaw, knocking him down. "Not so weak, am I ?" He felt his fist. "Gee, that kinda hurt."

Bob soon got up and wiped the blood off his mouth. "Oh, that's it ! You're SO dead !"

Before Bob could reach Travis, Mina grabbed him by the shoulder and tossed him against a locker, with a little Force Push. To the onlookers, it only looked like a sudden boost of strength. "Enough ! Leave him alone ! Now, get out of here !"

"Why you little bitch ! No one makes a fool of Robert McClane ! NO ONE !" He waved his fist in the air as he slowly walked away, nursing his bruises.

"Well, this girl has. Now, do us all a favor and be like a leaf and blow outta here !" Mina quickly helped Travis back up. She looked at his wound. "Doesn't look too bad, Travis. It should heal up in several days."

He felt his jaw. "It's sore. Ow. At least we got rid of that jerk… for now."

Mina wasn't still sure why, but she quickly hugged him. "Thanks for standing up for me, Travis. He's been getting more and more annoying. But it's really the first time he tried to touch me like that. I'm hoping it'll be the last time too."

Travis rubbed the back of his neck, somewhat surprised by the sudden show of emotions from her. "You stood up for me too, so I guess we're even."

Mina suddenly had an idea. "I don't know why, but I'm feeling something strange welling up inside of me."

Travis smirked in response. "It's possible we share the same feeling. Could it be… love ?"

Mina's lekku stripes darkened for a moment. "Now that you mention it, that's probably it. You know… Mom and Dad did ask me to wait until I was 15 before I'd date anyone… How about it ?"

Travis swallowed a lump in his throat. "Are you sure about this ?"

She nodded. "Yes."

 **So we've got a new couple. Next chapter will have their first date, Vader's appearance and… 9/11. Please review.**


	24. A First Date, a Duel and a Terror Strike

**Tuesday, October 3rd**

After school, Mina couldn't hold her excitement over the most recent event. Her parents had to know. She managed to convince Travis to go with her. He was quite nervous and anxious at how Mina's parents would react to the news.

"It's ok. They'll be thrilled to know that it's you instead of a complete stranger." She lead him inside the house.

As they entered, Obi was there to greet both. At over 13 years of age, Obi began to have slight problems. A couple weeks back, she began to limp a bit. Since she didn't seem to suffer that much, Lux chose to postpone the inevitable decision to "put her down" until she was in critical condition. The entire family had already brought forth the unpleasant topic. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time. Odds are Obi wouldn't live to see her 15th anniversary.

"Now, wait here." Mina entered the kitchen, while Lux and Ahsoka were having a simple dinner of sandwich and soup. She cleared her throat to get their attention. "Mom, Dad. I'd like you to meet my boyfriend." She motioned Travis to come forth.

"H-hello, Mr. and Mrs. Bonteri." He scratched the back of his neck.

Lux blinked a few times. "Travis… is your boyfriend ? How did that happen ?"

Ahsoka sat next to Lux, rubbing his back to soothe his nerves. "Calm down, dear. Remember, I predicted this would be happening years ago. And besides, we've known Travis since he was barely born. You and I both know he'd never think to take advantage of Mina."

Mina had some explaining to do. "Well, Mom. Travis stood up for me when a bully tried to touch me and…"

Ahsoka's brow soon turned to a frown. "Now just a minute ! WHO tried to touch you ?! And _where_?!"

Travis chose to speak for her. "A rich snob by the name of Robert McClane. He tried to grab her… grab her… b-breasts. Even I would _never_ attempt such a thing on a girl I hardly knew. He thinks because he's rich that he's entitled to have sex with any girl that he brings at his place. He couldn't be more wrong !"

Ahsoka snarled and slammed her fist on the table, causing plates and utensils to shake a bit. "Why that pig ! Mina, I'll be going with you tomorrow at school. You will show me who this person is. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind !" She turned her attention to Travis. "Consider your relationship with my daughter approved. I know you'll do your best to keep her safe."

Lux scratched his head, deep in thought. "McClane… McClane… Oh yes ! Robert "Bob" McClane, he's no better than his son, I'll tell you that. He's a bloodsucking lawyer ! Has no respect for anyone but himself. Apparently, he enjoys ripping off his clients."

Mina snorted a laugh. "Let me get this straight, Dad. Both Father and Son share the same name ? Wow ! He must be the most imaginative person ever !"

Lux grabbed Ahsoka's shoulder. "'Soka, you have every reason for wanting to protect Mina, but you'll have to be diplomatic about it. He could very well tell his father that we threatened him and we could end up being sued for it ! That's one problem we really don't need."

Ahsoka merely smirked at his comment. "No threats will be told, Lux. I'll just use the Jedi Mind Trick on him."

Travis had a big grin across his face. "This I'll have to see."

"And you will." Mina turned to her parents. "Uh, Mom… Dad ? Now that our relationship is pretty official, is it ok if we go on a date this coming Friday ?" Mina crossed her fingers to get a positive response.

Lux hesitated for a moment. "Yes, Mina. You and Travis may go on a date. Just promise you'll behave, huh ?"

"A kiss or two is fine. Don't go beyond that." Ahsoka added.

"Really ?! Thanks Mom ! Thanks Dad ! You're the best ! We'll be good ! Promise !" She hugged her parents.

Daniel came in, noticing his sister and Travis holding hands. "Sis ? You and Travis like each other that much ?"

Mina rolled her eyes. "Well, what do you think is going on, Dan ? We're keeping each other warm ? Of course we like each other… _that much_."

"So when's the wedding ?" Daniel joked, earning a glare from his sister.

Mina face-palmed. "Force ! Grant me patience !"

 **Wednesday, October 4th**

As Ahsoka brought Mina to high school, she entered with her. "Just point me at him, I'll take care of it."

It didn't take long to find McClane since he was talking with other boys in the hallways. His friends froze when they noticed Mina with Ahsoka, looking none too pleased. "Oh crap, you're in it now, Bob ! Mina brought her mom… doesn't look too happy."

"Which one of you is Robert McClane ?" She asked.

Bob swallowed a lump in his throat. "M-me." His face went white as he had seen a ghost.

Ahsoka grabbed him by the shoulder and lead him to an empty classroom, followed by Mina and Travis. "I'd like to have a word with you please."

Ahsoka leaned against the teacher's desk. "Take a seat. This won't take long."

"W-what are you going to do to me ? You can't touch me ! My dad's a lawyer !"

"I don't appreciate hearing about you sexually harassing my daughter. I'm here to ensure this ends now. Look deep into my eyes." She knelt to his level.

Bob complied, whimpering slightly.

Ahsoka waved her hand in front of his face. " _You will not take advantage of girls again. You will focus on your studies instead._ "

"I will not take advantage of girls again. I will focus on my studies instead." Bob repeated.

" _You will remember nothing of this encounter. You will hurry to your class now._ "

"I will remember nothing of this encounter. I will hurry to my class now." Bob snapped out of the trance and looked at his watch. "Shit ! I'm gonna be late for class !" He ran towards his locker to gather his books.

Travis bowed before Ahsoka. "Thanks a bunch, Mrs. Bonteri. Perhaps now, the girls at Manhattan High School can go about their business without having to worry about McClane."

Mina hugged her mother. "Thanks for doing this, Mom. You've done us all a huge favor."

Ahsoka looked at her watch. "I better get going or I'll be late for work. Have a good day, you two."

 **Friday, October 6th**

After school was over, Mina couldn't wait for the bus ride to end so she could begin to prepare herself for her first date. She and Travis had chosen to go eat at a new Thai restaurant in Times Square. While she wanted to look good, there was little need to overdo it. At Travis' place, Burt and Linda couldn't contain their excitement when they learned their son had gotten himself a girlfriend. The fact that it was his mechanic's daughter was just icing on a delicious cake. When he first began to work with Ahsoka over 16 years ago, Mina looked quite like her at this point.

Travis was going over his clothes in his closet and drawers. While it was important to look good on a date, he also had to consider where they were going. It wasn't a high-class restaurant, so he didn't need to be in a tuxedo. He chose to put on a t-shirt and black pants. He brought along a sweatshirt in case it would be cold in the restaurant.

When Mina rang at the doorbell, Travis raced to open the door. To say that she was gorgeous was a major understatement. She wore some gray jeans, a grey t-shirt to match and had a jacket on herself. Travis brought her inside for a moment.

"Mom, Dad. She's here." He presented her to them, smiling so much, his face would break.

Burt let out a whistle. "Well, hello there, Mina. Not so little anymore. No, no, no. You've grown into a fine, young woman. No doubt Travis will be a gentleman like I raised him to be."

Mina's lekku stripes darkened momentarily. "Thank you, Mr. Blank. I'm sure we'll enjoy ourselves tonight. I've been meaning to try out that Thai restaurant since it opened back in Spring. What a better way to do it, than on our first date ?"

Linda walked towards them, handing Travis several dollar bills. "No doubt it'll be a date to remember for both of you. Now, Mina, you shouldn't keep your mother waiting. Go on. Enjoy yourselves."

Travis acted the gentleman and opened the door for Mina. "After you, my love."

"I'm so excited, Travis ! Our first date ! This is going to be great ! Thanks for being our private chauffeur, Mom."

Ahsoka looked to the back. "Mina, it's the least I could do. So where to ?"

"Bangkok's Delights. It's in Times Square." Mina answered in haste.

About half an hour later, Ahsoka pulled over at a free parking. "Now remember, when you two are done, call me and I'll be here to pick you up."

Travis noticed that Mina's purse was larger than usual. "Gee, that looks heavy. What's in there ?"

"Oh, nothing much. Mom's cellphone, a bit of money, lipstick… and my lightsabers." Mina replied.

Travis' eyes grew wide. "Your lightsabers ?! Why ? We're only going to have dinner, not taking on criminals in dark alleys."

Mina lowered her head. "I'm not sure, but I have a hunch that I'll need them."

They entered the restaurant. It definitely smelled of garlic and chili peppers. A waiter guided them to a table.

"Welcome to Bangkok's Delights. Please take your time to look through the menu. I will return to take your orders as soon as possible."

Both teenagers browsed the menu, their stomachs growling in unison.

Mina thought about her choice. "Hmm… I do enjoy seafood. This Shrimp Pad Thai dish sounds amazing. What about you, Travis ?"

Travis was still browsing. "I don't know, Mina. I've never really eaten exotic foods that much. But Beef Thai Curry Noodles sounds like something I'd enjoy. I guess I'll go for that."

The waiter soon returned to take their orders. Aside their main dish, they only took water as beverage.

Mina reached for one of Travis' hands, squeezing it. "I know I've already said it, but I'm thankful that you were around on Monday when Robert tried to make a pass at me."

He returned the gesture by squeezing her hands gently. "It was my pleasure. Besides, he doesn't care about a woman's feelings…" His cheeks blushed. "You know I'm nothing like him, right ?"

Mina's lekku stripes darkened again. "Yeah, you see me for who I am and I appreciate that. Oh look, our dinner is coming." The waiter brought their plates. Mina's definitely reeked of garlic while Travis' had a strong smell of curry.

20 minutes later, they were done with their meal. The waiter brought their bill along with a couple of Fortune Cookies. Travis quickly paid and tipped the waiter generously.

As Mina took on the cookies, she giggled. "A friend of Dad at work found something really funny with Fortune Cookies. It's a little racy, but you can take it with a bag of salt. Just read your fortune and end it with "in bed". You'll see, the results are hilarious !"

Travis raised an eyebrow. "O…k… Let's see here… "You will find great success… in bed."" Travis almost choked on his water laughing. "Jeez ! That really sounds funny ! What about yours ? What does it say ?"

Mina opened her cookie. ""You will show a great variety of artistry… in bed." Oh, Force ! That sounds SO wrong ! Ha ha ha ha ha !"

After they laughed it up a minute, they calmed down, leaning towards each other for their first kiss. They couldn't describe the feeling. It was electric, euphoric, unique.

Mina had to go to the restroom before she would call her mother. As she stepped out, her happy face turned to worry and dread.

"Mina ? What's wrong ?" Travis looked quite concerned for her. He looked outside and noticed a crowd was backing up towards the restaurant. He could hear what sounded like an airplane engine but louder. "What the heck ?"

"He's here. Kriff, I didn't think it was going to be happening on our first date !" Mina mumbled. She searched her purse for her lightsabers.

While Ahsoka was supposed to be at home, she got on the road with Lux and Daniel. They stopped at a Dunkin' Donuts for a quick bite. Several police officers were enjoying a cup of coffee. Then their CB radios began to hum. "All units ! All units ! Code 3 to Times Square ! This is NOT a drill ! This is NOT a drill ! Code 3 to Times Square ! All available officers head out there immediately !" The officers all left in haste.

"Now, what's that all about ?" Lux had no idea what those terms meant.

Ahsoka closed her eyes for a moment, probing the Force. "Oh, no ! No, no, no, no ! It's Vader ! He's here ! Mina ! MINA ! Come on, you two, let's go !"

Back at Times Square, Mina and Travis stepped out of the restaurant. Vader's Tie Fighter was slowly landing, with him standing atop it, his red lightsaber ignited.

Mina quickly shoved Travis out of the way. "GET BACK ! I'll handle this !"

As Vader leapt towards her, she ignited both of her lightsabers. She barely avoided his first strike.

"You are undoubtedly the daughter of Ahsoka Tano. Do you know of your potential ?"

"Sure do ! To make this world a happier place !" She quickly shot back.

Vader slowly approached her. "In time, your skills will serve the Emperor."

"You'll have to beat me first !" Mina held her sabers in a defensive pose.

"Then let us test you." Vader began to wail on her. She managed to block most of his strikes. She even managed to break away from a saberlock.

"You do not yet realize your importance. The Emperor has foreseen that you would become powerful. Why not join me… and I will complete your training."

Mina Force-pushed him several feet away. "Even if you made the Galaxy's best cookies, I still wouldn't join you !"

They exchanged blows for several more minutes. "I see that you prefer the reverse grip, much like your mother."

This caught Mina off-guard. "You know my mother ?"

Vader tried to break her defense again. "Know her ? I _trained_ her ! She will soon come to your aid. With the two of you at my side, the Galactic Empire will become more powerful than ever !"

And with that, Vader finally managed to shatter one of Mina's sabers. The blow knocked her on the street, cowering.

"Now, you will come along and give yourself to the Dark Side." Vader reached out to her.

"Not if I have anything to say about it !"

Vader turned, recognizing the voice. A short distance away, stood Ahsoka, holding onto her lightsabers, ready for battle.

"It was foretold that we would meet here. Our long-awaited meeting has come at last !"

Ahsoka clenched her fists. "At least I gave you something to look forward to !"

Vader extinguished his saber. "We need not be enemies. The Emperor sees much potential in you. Join me again… and we will rule the Galaxy as Master and Apprentice."

Ahsoka frowned deeply. "If by ruling, you mean to take away all that is dear to others and follow your precious Emperor's every whim, I'll have NO part of it !"

"If you will not turn to the Dark Side, then perhaps _she_ will !" Vader motioned to Mina.

Ahsoka's blood was slowly boiling. "I was beginning to think I knew who were, behind that mask ! But it's impossible ! My Master could _never_ be as vile as you !"

"Anakin Skywalker was weak ! I destroyed him !"

She shed a tear. "Then I'll avenge his death !"

Vader reached for his lightsaber. "Revenge is not the Jedi way."

"I am no longer a Jedi." She ignited her white-colored sabers.

Travis ran to Lux and Daniel. "So… shit's about to hit the fan or shit's about to get real ?"

Daniel still believe what he was he seeing. "I'd say both apply here. Here we go ! Go Mom ! Go !"

As Ahsoka charged at Vader, the police officers were busy keeping the curious people out of the battle zone. "Stay back ! Stay back ! For your safety, people ! Let's let those two duel it out."

The two exchanged blows and the duel was so quick most onlookers had trouble keeping track. Vader's Djem So was downright brutal, forcing Ahsoka to be on the defensive constantly. As well-trained as she was, Ahsoka would eventually tire while Vader was able to dish it out without feeling fatigue thanks to his bio-suit. Eventually, Ahsoka got distracted, allowing Vader to Force-push her against a police car, knocking her out of the battle.

"At least the daughter will be claimed." Vader began to walk towards Mina.

Travis and Daniel quickly ran to Mina. "Thanks, both of you."

Before Mina could be brought out to safety, she felt the pull of the Force on her. "Hey ! What the- Oh, no ! NO NO NO NO ! He's pulling me towards him ! Travis, Dan, help me !"

Both boys were slipping on the street. "We're trying, sis ! But that guy is just too strong !"

Mina thought of a last attempt to end it all. "No ! Please ! Leave me alone ! Help ! **MOTHER !** "

The cry for help was what caused Ahsoka to regain her senses. As she witnessed what was happening, she made the risky decision to do a sneak attack on Vader. While he was distracted by pulling Mina towards him, she might be able to knock him down. She had to try. She ran towards him, lightsabers ignited. Vader felt her presence, but was unable to react in time. As Ahsoka leapt at him, she managed to slice a part of his mask. As she fell on the hard pavement, she heard her family calling out to her. As she rose up, she heard the most terrifying thing she never thought she'd hear now. Anakin's voice through Vader.

"Ahsoka… Please… Come back to me…" He wheezed.

As they both stood back up, they stared at each other for what seemed like ages.

"I won't join you ! Not this time." She shouted to him.

Anakin's eye was yellow and it exhumed anger. Extreme anger. "Then you will die."

He ignited his saber and began to limp towards her. Ahsoka stood her ground.

"Stop ! Stop ! STOP ! Look around you ! You're surrounded ! Outmanned ! Outgunned ! You can claim to be versed into the Dark Side as much as you want to, but you simply cannot stop all of those weapons aimed at you. If you want to continue to serve your Emperor, then do so and leave me and my family out of it ! Or you can surrender… It's your choice."

Vader thought for a moment. He turned towards his Tie Fighter. "You will live to regret your defiance !" In moments, the ship was up into the sky and heading up towards space.

Ahsoka allowed herself to take a breather. She didn't care at this point that their duel had been recorded and broadcasted all over the world. Her family was safe. She snapped out of her reverie when she heard the people cheering for her. People began to snap pictures of her and her family. In a matter of days, the "alien" that saved Earth would be known throughout the world. They didn't want this fame, but they couldn't stop it now, after what had occurred.

Lux walked up to her. "Are you all right ? Anything I can get you ?"

She shot her typical smirk towards him. "I have you, the kids, my friends. I have everything that I'd want right here. But if you wish to humor me, get me a cold beer."

A bartender overheard her plea. He ran towards them. "Hey, you got that wackjob to leave us alone. It's on the house ! Here you are."

She sat on the sidewalk, joined with everyone. In time, she would be interviewed by various news networks like CNN and would also become a special guest on various talk shows like Larry King Live and The Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

 **Tuesday, September 11th, 2001**

Close to a year had passed since the encounter with Vader. Mina had begun her final grade of mandatory education. She would joke that in her High School Yearbook, her main accomplishments would likely be holding her own against a crazy cyborg for over 2 minutes, being a prime candidate to become an accountant and also having to acquire worldwide fame for her first accomplishment.

However, on this day, things were going to change the world forever… and not for the best. While the kids were busy at high school, Lux was at work, busily working with other programmers on the latest version of the Macintosh software. For Ahsoka, she was busy repairing a classic Thunderbird car when she noticed the first airplane flying much lower than usual. " _What the Force ! That's way too low ! Way too low ! Are they trying to crash into the buildings or what ?!_ "

Minutes later, what sounded like an explosion snapped her out of work she looked up. The World Trade Center was covered in smoke ! Then she noticed the second plane hitting the other tower. " _WHAT ?! That was intentional ! It has to be a terrorist plot ! But why here ?!_ "

She quickly ran to the telephone and dialed Lux's work number. She didn't even give him a chance to answer in his typical response. "Lux ! Did you see that ?! Someone rammed two airplanes into the World Trade Center ! It's likely a terrorist attack. Get out of there and head back home ! I'll fetch the kids at school !" She quickly dialed Mina's cellphone number. "Mina ? Are you all right ? So you've all seen the news by now ? I'll go and pick you and Daniel up in a couple of minutes, ok ? Stay where you are. There's no telling if anything else is happening right now."

Some time later, Ahsoka watched in horror as both towers crumbled. " _Why are they doing this ? What do they hope to accomplish ?!_ "

Over the evening, they listened to President Bush's response to the horrific event. Mina felt scared for the first time since the black bear encounter in '92. "What are we going to do now, Mom ?"

Ahsoka reached out to Mina and Daniel, now almost adults. "We're not going to let these terrorists ruin our lives. We will NOT live in fear. Let's take it, day by day, ok ?"

The teenagers nodded, trying their best to stay optimistic.

 **So now we've covered a couple of very traumatic events. I hope you all enjoyed the epic Vader duel even if it did stick a bit too much to the "Twilight of the Apprentice" script on Rebels. The next chapter is the Epilogue. We'll see both happy and sad moments. And there will be some silly humor too. Please review.**


	25. Wishes Come True

**Monday, October 15th**

This was a day Lux wasn't looking forward to at all. He had postponed this event as much as possible, but he couldn't bear to see Obi in such a state anymore. She had grown deaf and blind. Her limping made her near impossible to take out for a walk. The worst part is that she no longer had control over her natural urges, so they would have to clean up her mess all over the house. It was time. Lux had made arrangements to have the day off in order to do what was necessary. He took Obi into the car… one last time.

As the veterinarian did her work, Lux stood by her side. "It's ok, girl. It's ok. You'll… you'll just sleep… forever and ever." He petted her until he could no longer feel any life in her. He left the veterinary office with the biggest lump in his throat he ever felt. He had to stop halfway towards the ride home, to release his emotions. Lux cried for several minutes, recalling all the moments they shared together… since he brought her home in Summer '87. He recalled how Mina instantly took a liking to her. How she saved the family from having their car stolen. It had been a wonderful 14+ years. There were no regrets, despite knowing it wasn't going to last. He took a deep breath. "Ok… enough of those blasted emotions, time to head back home."

As he entered the house, the eerie silence hit him like a wall of bricks. She was gone. As he made his way to the kitchen, he noticed her bed, by the patio doors in the back. Unable to keep his emotions in check, he wept some more. He spent the majority of the day in the living room, reading the newspaper. Trying desperately to distract himself. It wasn't going to be easy once the kids got back home.

As Daniel entered, he whistled. The dog didn't come to him. He noticed his father reaching for several tissues. Mina came in, calling out to her dog. "Obi ! Obi ! Come see us ! Come on !" She turned to her father, the look on his face told her everything.

"I… I'm s-sorry, k-kids… S-she's g-gone. I had to d-do it." Lux wept some more, this time joined by his children.

When Ahsoka came in, it made for the most heartbreaking scene the children ever witnessed. She reached out to Lux, holding him as tightly as possible, sobbing loudly. "She's in a better place now, Lux. She's no longer suffering. I hope you told her "Thank You" before leaving her to rest."

Lux wiped the tears from his eyes. "I did, 'Soka. I did. I didn't think it was going to be this hard to say goodbye. Looking back… we had wonderful years together. The children enjoyed her as they grew up. It was worth it. Totally worth it."

 **Saturday, June 22nd, 2002**

With time, even the hardest of emotional wounds heal. The parting of Obi was a major hit for the family. They couldn't bear to get another dog afterwards. But they did acquire a cat. A Maine Coon they named "Aayla". She wasn't as close to the family as Obi, but when she wanted attention, she definitely got it. Today was a big day for the Bonteri Family, Mina was finally graduating from Manhattan High School. They were on their way to the ceremony. Mina certainly looked awkward in her robes and the hat was almost impossible to place because of her montrals.

They were going by alphabetical order, so Mina would be amongst the graduates over the first hour. Everyone cheered for each student as they received their diplomas from the principal and the school district official.

"Travis Blank, graduated with Honors !" The Blanks were obviously very proud of their son.

When it came for Mina's turn, the entire crowd cheered for her. "Mina Bonteri, graduated with Honors !" Mina walked to the podium, shaking hands with the officials, holding her diploma and smiling towards the camera. Ahsoka wiped her eyes with a tissue. She welled up with pride. She accomplished her task as a mother to successfully raise her daughter to adulthood. Daniel would make her proud as well in a couple of years.

After the ceremony was over, the Bonteris and Blanks decided to celebrate their graduates at Ahsoka's place. Lux fired up the barbecue and made hot dogs for everyone. Kayla and Jim were invited for the party. Over the evening, they sat around a fire, sharing stories of the children's misbehaving's. When Ahsoka recounted her tale with the laxatives, Kayla laughed so hard and was unable to reach the bathroom in time. In a few days, both Mina and Travis would be looking into the many colleges and universities they could apply to for a secondary education.

 **Wednesday, July 21st, 2004**

The family were getting ready to celebrate Daniel's 17th birthday. He had just graduated with Honors a few weeks back. For his birthday, all that he wanted was a good meal with good company. So they went to the Thai restaurant Mina had gone with Travis over their first date. Chicken Pad Thai was his meal of choice. Water definitely helped with the spices present in the dish. As they returned home, Ahsoka stumbled a bit when she entered. Lux quickly raced to her. "Are you all right ? A sudden lack of balance or what ? You didn't drink at all tonight."

Mina tugged at her mother's arm. "Mom ! What was that ? I felt something… I don't know how to explain it… But it was a feeling of great sadness."

"There was a disturbance in the Force, Mina. It's as if millions of voices suddenly cried out and then… nothing. Something terrible has happened." Ahsoka let out a gasp. "No ! Alderaan's been destroyed… by the Empire !"

Lux almost lost his balance himself, quickly sitting in the reclining chair. "Everything happens for a reason, right ? We had thought of settling on Alderaan after leaving Arda. I guess Life had other plans for us. We were meant to live through these dark times."

 **Monday, September 25th, 2006**

This was a day Ahsoka had been waiting for the longest time. Mina had finally turned 21. So she was legally old enough to drink. Ever since she was 16, Mina had been offered to participate in festivities… in moderation and only in company of her parents. So she already had a taste for most beverages. She still didn't click with wine, but it would happen with time. For her 21st birthday, Ahsoka offered to take Mina on a Pub Crawl. Meaning they'd stop at a random bar/pub, have a drink, move on to another one, have another drink and so forth. It was a great way for Mina to really taste all the different types of beers and hard liquors. Ahsoka offered to pay for the drinks while Mina would cover the cab ride back home.

At first, they stopped at a typical bar and took a plain American Ale : Miller. It didn't taste much, but it was refreshing. Afterwards, they discovered a German-themed pub. They enjoyed a glass of Wheat Beer with a serving of German sausage. Their third place was a Irish-themed pub, to where Mina was introduced to the world-renowned Stout : Guinness. She wasn't a fan of it over the first glass, but the second one was more pleasant.

Over their fourth stop, they headed into a bar which served mostly hard liquor. Ahsoka challenged Mina to a contest of whom could down the most shooters of a liquor of their choice. Mina was curious and chose Tequila. Her father had told her about Ahsoka's weakness to it. Ahsoka took the challenge anyways. Mina had been able to down 6 shooters while Ahsoka drank 10. While they were going for their fifth and final destination, the alcohol hit Ahsoka like a wall of bricks.

"H-hey… *hic* Ha-have I ever told you how pr-proud I am of… of y-you ? *hic*"

Mina rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mom. You tell me everyday. Seems you've had your fill for tonight. You sure you want to stop at another one ?"

Ahsoka hiccupped every few moments. Bystanders were quite amused as "The Friendly Alien that saved New York and the World from the Evil Cyborg from Outer Space" was absolutely and totally… wasted !

"Y-you know t-that I'm pr-proud of you… huh ? *hic* Shouldn't have drank all that Tequila… My head is *hic* shp-shpinning Ooooohhhh… *hic*"

Mina was quite buzzed, but nowhere near as drunk as her mother. "Mom, you're rambling. Ok, let's take a break before we enter the last pub, ok ? I'll get you a glass of water."

"*hic* N-never mind the w-water ! G-get me *hic* a Rum & Coke inshtead ! *hic*"

Mina shot a smirk towards her. "Ok, I guess you enjoy your hangovers." Mina dragged her mother into the pub. With some difficulty, Ahsoka managed to sit straight on a stool… but not without tumbling off of it a few times first. As Ahsoka savoured her Rum & Coke, Mina chose a Scotch on the Rocks. She was given a dram of Auchentoshan Three Wood. It had a sweet, fruity taste to it. Mina took her time to sip her drink, but Ahsoka was struggling to order herself another drink. Mina took notice and quickly downed what was left of her Scotch, giving a burning sensation in her throat. "Ok, Mom. It's time to go. I'll get us a cab." Ahsoka drunkenly followed her daughter out of the pub. She was so drunk, she nearly crashed into a waitress delivering drinks to other patrons.

After the longest 10 minutes Mina ever had to endure, she managed to get a cab. Her mother was moaning during the entire ride. "Hey, you _asked_ for it ! You could have declined the Tequila challenge."

As they arrived home, Mina paid the cabbie and brought her mother to the entrance. It was pitch dark, neither saw where they were going when suddenly… they heard the loudest cat screech in their lives. Ahsoka had stepped on Aayla, whom was sleeping on the floor, by the staircase. Mina struggled to bring her mother up the stairs, but it was a no-go. "Ok, Mom. You'll sleep on the couch for tonight." She placed her on the couch and Ahsoka was out like a light.

Over the following morning, both ladies endured their hangovers. Ahsoka's was much, much worse than Mina's. The latter didn't need to throw up upon reaching the bathroom. By the end of the afternoon, Ahsoka was back to normal. Mina had recovered by Noon. She would definitely remember her first Pub Crawl while Ahsoka blacked-out by the time they reached the final pub.

 **Wednesday, December 24th, 2008**

The family were enjoying the typical Christmas Eve dinner. Fondue with their choice of sauces. Now that Daniel was 21, he could also partake in alcohol like the rest. He quickly took a liking for red wine. As they were sharing several bottles of New Zealand Pinot Noir, Daniel had already downed 4 glasses in the first hour of dinner. To say that he was joyful was an understatement. Travis had been invited for dinner this year. He had hoped so. He had been planning to ask Mina a very important question that night. The two had been dating for over 8 years, so it was finally time to move to the next phase.

As they ended their dinner, they all gathered to unwrap their presents. As Mina sat on the couch, Travis reached for a specific small box he had hidden amongst the other presents. He opened it and knelt to Mina, presenting it.

Mina blinked for a few moments. "T-Travis… w-what are you doing ?!"

"Mina Bonteri… you know that I've been fond of you, heck… since we were like 2 years old or something… Over time, we got closer and closer. Now I realize that I cannot continue going on in Life without you… Will you marry me ?"

Mina's eyes soon became filled with tears. She hesitated for a few moments. "Yes, Travis ! Yes, I will marry you !" She leapt to his arms, hugging him gently, sobbing lightly.

As Ahsoka wiped her tears, she heard a disembodied voice calling out to her. "Ahsoka… Ahsoka…"

It came from the Master bedroom upstairs. She quietly made her way. To her shock and surprise, Anakin's Skywalker's Force Ghost was sitting on her bed.

"Anakin…" She could no longer hold her tears. So he had become one with the Force.

"My, you've grown, Snips… And I have to say, you and Bonteri did really well raising a couple of kids… Didn't know you had it in you." His smile turned to sadness. "Ahsoka, I am SO sorry for having caused you trouble. As Vader, I was unable to control my actions. I… I never meant to betray the Order… or Obi-Wan… or even you. I guess I let my anger take control of me."

Ahsoka blinked a few times. "I know that you didn't mean these things, Anakin. And… I forgive you. From what I can sense, you've redeemed yourself… Have you fulfilled the Prophecy of the Chosen One ?"

Anakin nodded. "Yes. Palpatine was causing suffering to my son, Luke. I couldn't take it anymore, so I grabbed Palpatine and tossed him into a nearby power generator shaft. My action did have a cost, however. Palpatine's Force Lightning caused my suit to fail. But at least, I was able to see Luke with my own eyes before passing. He was right about me, Snips. There was still good in me… even if I didn't see it as Vader."

"You were always a good person, Anakin. I'm glad that you finally came to your senses. I'm also very happy to see you… one last time in this life. Go on, see the others and tell them I miss them. I'll see you all later… I'll see you all much later." Ahsoka wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I've always been proud of you, Snips. You are a great Jedi. May the Force be with you." Anakin's Force Ghost dissipated into the air.

She made her way back downstairs. She took a quick glance at her family. She no longer felt doubt or regret for leaving the Order. It was worth it in the end.

 **And there we are ! I truly hope you folks enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. It's been quite the roller-coaster ride. I would like to extend my thanks to Lux's Sister, David Davies 5851, Johnt12345, Ahsoka101, LegoRyan4579, Darth Cody and Guest for their input, suggestions and reviews. You folks are so awesome ! Don't be shy with those reviews.**


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